Warriors A New Age 2: Eyes of Terror
by digital devotion
Summary: Ghostwind, son of Rowanstar, must leave behind his family and friends to venture out into the world beyond to fulfill a prophecy. Will he be able to follow his destiny, or will his journey only meet disaster? 5 of 6
1. Clan Allegiances

**ThunderClan**

LEADER

**Rowanstar** – ginger tom, yellow eyes

DEPUTY

**Thunderstripe** – black tom, pepper stripes, yellow eyes

MEDICINE CAT

**Maggotstripe **- silver she-cat, black stripes, light brown eyes; daughter of the rogues Slug and Thicket; sister of Whiskerheart

**Apprentice, Ravenheart**

WARRIORS

**Pebbletail** - brown and dark brown tabby she-cat, light blue- silver eyes; sister of Rowanstar and Forestclaw

**Apprentice, Stonepaw**

**Stormtail** – dark gray tom, white chest, white paws, light yellow eyes

**Apprentice, Shimmerpaw**

**Oakpelt** – gray and white tom, yellow eyes

**Rainfur** – gray she-cat, yellow eyes; mother of Webpelt, Nimbleclaw, and Sootpelt by Icefur

**Lightdew** – cream and white she-cat, light green eyes; mother of Pureheart and Palefur by Crookedfern

**Mistmeadow** – silver and white flecked she-cat, light yellow eyes; mother of Stonepaw and Shimmerpaw by Silvermoon

**Cedarspirit **– ginger tom, white paws, amber eyes

**Silvermoon** – silver and white tom, sapphire blue eyes

**Darkeye** – gray and dark gray tom, yellow eyes

**Whiskerheart** – silver and gray tom, black stripes, amber-brown eyes; brother of Maggotstripe

**Nimbleclaw** – silver and white she-cat, amber eyes

**Sootpelt** – blue-gray tom, yellow eyes

**Pureheart** – white and black tom; left eye terribly scarred after a badger attack; light green right eye

**Palefur** – black and white she-cat, sky blue eyes

**Summerflower** – gray and brown she-cat, gray eyes

**Springfoot** – dark gray and brown she-cat, light amber eyes

**Coldfur** – dark gray tom, white chest, white claw-shaped mark over nose and forehead, yellow-green eyes; son of Oakpelt and Maplerose of RiverClan

**Forestclaw** - brown and dark gray tom, black spots, light silver eyes; brother of Rowanstar and Pebbletail

**Skunkpelt** – gray, black, and white she-cat, light yellow eyes

**Smudgewing** – white she-cat, long-furred chest and tail, dark green eyes

**Shadeclaw** – silver and white tom, black and pepper stripes, light amber eyes

**Meadowbreeze** - pretty, brown tabby she-cat; light green eyes

**Ghostwind** – light ginger tom; white chest and muzzle; light yellow eyes

**Ashflower** – gray and silver tabby she-cat; very pretty silvery green eyes

**Cottonclaw** – silver tom with dark gray stripes; green eyes

APPRENTICES

**Ravenheart** – long-furred black she-cat; pretty, sky blue eyes

**Stonepaw **–gray and brown tom; white muzzle and chest; dark amber eyes; (Stoneheart)

**Shimmerpaw** – long-furred white she-cat; gray and brown face, ears, paws, and tail; sapphire blue eyes; (Shimmerclaw)

QUEENS

**Cloverpelt –** brown and cream she-cat, sapphire blue eyes; mother of Ebonykit and Tawnykit by Darkeye

**Stormypelt –** silver and gray she-cat, few black stripes, light blue eyes; was once a kittypet; mother of Ghostwind, Ashflower, and Cottonclaw; will have Riverkit and Mintkit by Rowanstar; pregnant

**Gingerheart** – ginger-brown she-cat, light brown eyes; was once a Twoleg; mother of Ravenheart, Shadeclaw, and Meadowbreeze by Thunderstripe; pregnant

ELDERS

**Poppyflower** – ginger she-cat, black stripes, green eyes; oldest queen in the Clan; virtually blind now

**Thornfur – **black tom, white paws, yellow eyes

**Quickpelt – **ginger brown she-cat, black stripes, light blue eyes; mother of Rowanstar, Forestclaw, and Pebbletail by Sprucebark

**Twigleaf** – ginger she-cat, dark ginger stripes, yellow eyes

**Wetpelt –** black she-cat, white chest, light yellow eyes

**Granitetail** – dark gray tom, white face, white paws, light yellow eyes

KITS

**Ebonykit** – black she-cat; light yellow eyes; (Ebonydawn)

**Tawnykit –** brown she-cat; white muzzle; brown eyes; (Tawnyheart)

_**Riverkit**_ – gray tom; silvery-green eyes; (Rivercloud)

_**Mintkit**_ – light ginger tabby she-cat; dark orange striped tail; (Mintstripe)

DECEASED

**Goldenstar** – ginger tabby tom, amber eyes; lost his last life when he was possessed by Tigerstar's spirit

**Ashfang –** silver she-cat, dark gray stripes, very light green eyes; died during a battle against DarkClan on the island

**Sprucebark** – ginger tom, dark ginger stripes, amber eyes; Rowanstar's father; died of old age

**Dapplefoot** – dark brown she-cat, light gray eyes; died in an attack by DarkClan; she tried to help save Clawstar from being kidnapped

**Cottonbrave** – silver and gray long-furred tom, dark gray tail, yellow eyes; died in an attack by DarkClan; he tried to help save Clawstar from being kidnapped; Rowanstar gave him his warrior name just before he passed

**Snowcloud** – white and cream she-cat, soft blue eyes; mother of Stormtail by Oakpelt; died from an injury inflicted by a Twoleg gun

**Quickleaf** – light gray she-cat, green eyes, no hair on end of tail-tip; died saving ThunderClan kits from DarkClan

**Blackcloud –** black and white tom, light yellow eyes; died from an injury inflicted by a Twoleg gun

**Meadowlark –** gray she-cat, dark gray tail, yellow eyes; was killed in a battle against DarkClan

**Icefur** – blue-gray tom, yellow eyes; left ThunderClan to go and join DarkClan and instead became their slave; he died after being rescued from DarkClan

**Webpelt** – silver and dark gray flecked she-cat, light green eyes; died in final battle against DarkClan; Clawstar gave her a warrior name just before she passed on

**Reedclaw** – white, cream, and black tom, light yellow eyes; died in final battle against DarkClan

**Crookedfern –** very large, white and black tom, green eyes; died in final battle against DarkClan; killed by Sly himself

**Clawstar** – large, dark gray tom, very light green eyes; died in final battle against DarkClan

**Tenderclaw** – black tom, yellow eyes, many battle scars; died of old age

**Frostflower** – white and ginger she-cat, amber eyes; died of old age after a season of retirement in the elders' den

**Softcreek** – white, cream, and dark brown she-cat, yellow eyes; mother of Summerflower, Springfoot, Skunkpelt, and Smudewing by Granitetail; adoptive mother of Coldfur; died saving Springfoot during an attempt to chase away a fox

**Barrenoak** – brown and dark brown tom, light amber eyes; oldest tom in the Clan; died of a cough at a very old age

**RiverClan**

LEADER

**Featherstar** – long-furred gray she-cat, amber eyes

DEPUTY

**Lionstorm – **brown and dark brown tom, silver eyes; was once a Twoleg named Leo

MEDICINE CAT

**Blossomfur** – silver she-cat, dark gray spots, light green eyes

**Apprentice, Heatherpaw**

WARRIORS

**Streameyes** – white and dark brown she-cat, blue eyes

**Apprentice, Echopaw**

**Timberpelt – **silver she-cat, few gray stripes, amber eyes

**Nightflower** – black and white she-cat, yellow eyes

**Hazelsweet – **ginger she-cat, dark ginger stripes, amber eyes; mother of Jollypelt and Peachfur by Splinterclaw

**Lilyfur** – white and gray she-cat, sky blue eyes; mother of Sunpatch and Scorchfur by Torchfur

**Bubbletail** – white and gray she-cat, amber eyes; has Hedgeblossom, Heatherpaw, and Hazelfrost by Whiskerclaw

**Maplerose **– ginger she-cat, black spots, amber eyes; mother of Secretflower and Coldfur by Oakpelt of ThunderClan

**Whiskerclaw** – gray tom, light blue eyes

**Brushgrove** – gray and black tom, dark amber eyes

**Woodpuddle** – dark brown tom, blue eyes

**Daisyclaw** – black she-cat, white paws, yellow eyes; mother of Eaglefeather and Swanpool by Lionstorm

**Willowsky** – gray and silver she-cat, sky blue eyes; was once a kittypet

**Ashwhisker** – small, gray and silver tom, amber eyes

**Scorchfur** – white, ginger, and black tom, blue eyes

**Jollypelt** – gray she-cat, white chest, white paws, silver eyes

**Hedgeblossom **– gray and light gray tabby she-cat, light yellow eyes; mother of Echopaw by Scorchfur

**Secretflower** – pretty cream she-cat, brown spots, black striped tail-tip, silvery-blue eyes

**Hazelfrost **– white she-cat; black patches on head and back; black tail; dark amber eyes

**Eaglefeather **– slender, black tom; silvery blue eyes

**Swanpool **– gray and white she-cat; yellow eyes

APPRENTICES

**Heatherpaw **– pretty, silver she-cat; black striped tail; light blue eyes; (Heatherlight)

**Echopaw **– white tom; ginger patches; ginger striped tail; dark amber eyes; (Echopelt)

QUEENS

**Sunpatch** – white and ginger she-cat, light blue eyes; has Barkkit, Gorsekit, and Slenderkit by Woodpuddle

**Peachfur** – ginger and white she-cat, dark amber eyes; will have Stormkit and Riverkit by Ashwhisker; pregnant

ELDERS

**Boldstripe** – cream tom, brown stripes, amber eyes

**Willowfoot** – silver and gray she-cat, soft blue eyes

**Splinterclaw** – gray tom, white chest, yellow eyes

**Yellowheart –** brown tom, gray face, yellow eyes

**Fogpelt** – gray tom, black stripes, white paws, light green eyes

**Whiteflower** – white she-cat, dark blue eyes; mother of Streameyes by Boldstripe

KITS

**Barkkit **– brown tabby tom; light brown eyes; (Barktail)

**Gorsekit **– ginger she-cat; white muzzle and tail-tip; blue eyes; (Gorsebreeze)

**Slenderkit **– gray-brown tabby she-cat; white muzzle and chest; silvery-blue eyes; (Slenderfur)

_**Stormkit**_– gray tom; dark amber eyes; (Stormclaw)

_**Riverkit**_– silver she-cat; gray face, ears, legs, and tail; blue eyes; (Riverwillow)

DECEASED

**Rapidriver** – blue-gray tom, amber eyes; died during final battle against DarkClan

**Torchfur –** dark brown and ginger tom, amber eyes; died during final battle against DarkClan

**Blizzardclaw** – black tom, white speckled muzzle, yellow eyes; died of old age

**Jaggedscar –** white, gray, and black tom, missing right eye, light blue left eye; died of old age after being an elder for a few seasons

**Yellowmouse** – dark ginger she-cat, white tail-tip, yellow eyes; died of greencough

**Poppypatch** – dark brown she-cat, yellow eyes; died of greencough

**Grimriver –** long-furred gray tom, dark amber eyes; died of greencough

**ShadowClan**

LEADER

**Crimsonstar** – white she-cat, red ears, red striped tail, dark blue eyes

DEPUTY

**Burrowgrass** – dark brown tom, amber eyes

MEDICINE CAT

**Cracklefur** – cream and brown tom, dark green eyes

**Apprentice, Shadowheart**

WARRIORS

**Endclaw** – white she-cat, ginger striped tail, blue eyes

**Apprentice, Volepaw**

**Burntpelt –** black and brown mottled tom, right half of face is brown, left half of face is black; silver eyes

**Apprentice, Snowpaw**

**Harmonyfur –** white she-cat, ginger ears, ginger tail, dark green eyes; mother of Needleheart, Cinderbranch, and Briarfoot by Burrowgrass

**Duskcloud** – long-furred black and gray tom, amber eyes

**Spidercloud –** white, black, and brown she-cat, yellow eyes

**Pineroot** – broad-shouldered silver and cream tom, large amber eyes; was once a kittypet

**Roguestripe** – black and white she-cat, silver eyes; mother of Tigerpaw and Russetpaw by Furyclaw

**Dwarfshadow** – small gray tom, black stripes, white chest, green eyes

**Silkfur** – gray she-cat, silver eyes; mother of Volepaw and Snowpaw by Dwarfshadow

**Furyclaw** – ginger tom, white paws, white chest, amber eyes

**Bowfur** – light gray tom, yellow eyes

**Driftsoot** – gray and silver tom, yellow eyes

**Needleheart **– slender, light brown tabby she-cat with brown stripes; brown eyes

**Cinderbranch**– brown tom; white chin; yellow eyes

**Briarfoot **– white she-cat; ginger patches; dark amber eyes

**Speckledrabbit **– gray she-cat; black spots; silver eyes

**Snailpool **– long-furred, black she-cat; silvery-blue eyes

**Petalmoth **– ginger she-cat; white muzzle, chest, and paws; yellow eyes

**Foxstripe **– ginger tom; dark ginger stripes; yellow eyes

**Tigerflame **– ginger tom; dark ginger stripes; amber eyes

**Russetfrost **– orange tom; white chest and paws; amber eyes

APPRENTICES

**Shadowheart** – ginger tabby she-cat, amber eyes

**Volepaw **– gray tabby tom; black stripes; silver eyes; (Volemask)

**Snowpaw **– gray tabby she-cat with dark gray stripes; white chest and paws; yellow eyes; (Snowfire)

QUEENS

**Mellowclaw** – silver and gray she-cat, green eyes; mother of Driftsoot, Bowfur, Speckledrabbit, Snailpool, and Boulderkit by Duskcloud

**Honeyshine** – ginger she-cat, white markings, amber eyes; mother of Shadowheart, Endclaw, Petalpaw, and Foxpaw by Lostwing; pregnant

ELDERS

**Blackshadow** – long-furred black tom, yellow eyes

**Brindleleaf **– brown and white brindle she-cat, amber eyes

**Brambletongue** – black and cream tom, white chest, amber eyes

**Winterthorn –** black she-cat, long front claws, gray eyes; mother of Burntpelt by Brambletongue

**Calmwhisker –** gray tom, white paws, white chest, amber eyes

**Lostwing** – black and gray tom, yellow eyes; just recently became an elder

KITS

**Boulderkit **– gray tom; white chest; dark amber eyes; (Bouldertail)

DECEASED

**Stonebreeze** – silver and gray tom, gray/green eyes; died from a hole in his shoulder

**Rippletail **– ginger and white she-cat, yellow eyes

**Embertail** – black and dark brown tom, yellow eyes; died of old age

**Sparrowclaw** – cream and light brown she-cat, amber eyes; died of old age

**Sleetrain –** dark gray tom, light blue eyes; died of old age

**WindClan**

LEADER

**Graystar –** gray tom, amber eyes

DEPUTY

**Rustclaw** – small smoke gray and silver tom, light amber eyes; mates with Merryclaw

MEDICINE CAT

**Dovewing** – white she-cat, cream face, cream tail, amber eyes

**Apprentice, Roseheart**

WARRIORS

**Brownclaw** – small brown and dark gray mottled tom, light amber eyes; was once a kittypet

**Apprentice, Rockpaw**

**Mildpelt** – ginger tom, green eyes

**Apprentice, Nettlepaw**

**Irisfur** – black she-cat, yellow eyes; mother of Brackenthorn by Rumbleclaw

**Apprentice, Frogpaw**

**Cloudpool **– white she-cat, light amber eyes; mother of Moonmist and Mudtalon by Brownclaw

**Apprentice, Lilypaw**

**Proudstripe – **ginger tom, white chest, white paws, light amber eyes

**Orangefoot –** dark ginger tom, black striped tail, dark amber eyes

**Windcloud** – gray and white she-cat, yellow eyes; mother of Rockpaw and Nettlepaw by Proudstripe

**Acornleaf** – dark gray tom, black striped tail; white chest, white paws, amber eyes

**Robinclaw –** black and white she-cat, gray eyes; mother of Frogkit and Lilykit bye Orangefoot

**Nightstripe** – black and white tom, white striped tail-tip, silver/blue eyes

**Smokefrost** – eggshell white tom with a gray head, legs, and tail; light blue eyes; was once a kittypet; mates with Breezeheart

**Breezeheart** – silver and white she-cat, yellow eyes; mates with Smokefrost; haven't been able to have kits

**Merryclaw** – white and light ginger she-cat, light brown eyes; mates with Rustclaw

**Brackenthorn **– black tom; white muzzle and chest; amber eyes

**Moonmist **– pure white she-cat; blue eyes

**Mudtalon **– brown and tan tom; gray eyes

APPRENTICES

**Roseheart** – smoke gray she-cat, yellow eyes

**Rockpaw **– dark gray tom; silver eyes; (Rockpelt)

**Nettlepaw **– ginger she-cat; white chest and front paws; yellow eyes; (Nettlesage)

**Frogpaw **– black tom; white tail-tip; yellow eyes; (Frogshadow)

**Lilypaw **– black and white she-cat; amber eyes; (Lilymouse)

QUEENS

**Whitefur** – long-furred gray she-cat, white chest, white paws, light amber eyes; mother of Graykit, Kestrelkit, and Dawnkit by Acornleaf

ELDERS

**Sunnystripe – **light ginger and white tom, dark ginger stripes, gray eyes

**Sapphirestream –** white she-cat, light ginger face and legs, soft blue eyes

**Flowerpool** – gray and white she-cat, large light amber eyes; mother of Mildpelt, Breezeheart, and Merryclaw by Sunnystripe

KITS

**Graykit **– long-furred, silver tom; four, white paws; blue eyes; (Grayflood)

**Kestrelkit **– brown tom; white muzzle, chest, front paws; dark brown eyes; (Kestrelwing)

**Dawnkit **– white and gray she-cat; amber eyes; (Dawnsmoke)

DECEASED

**Dustspot** – brown tom, black stripes, green eyes; died in a battle against DarkClan

**Angelstar** – black and white she-cat, yellow eyes; died in final battle against DarkClan

**Stoneriver –** silver tom, dark gray stripes, yellow eyes; died in final battle against DarkClan

**Streamleaf** – gray and white she-cat, dark amber eyes; died of old age

**Alderclaw** – gray brown tom, black striped tail, white chest and legs, yellow eyes; died of old age

**Rumbleclaw – **white, light brown, and dark gray tom, light amber eyes; was deputy before Rustclaw; died during a badger attack

**LightClan**

LEADER

**Duskstar **– black tom, right eye blue, left eye green

DEPUTY

**Snarlpelt** – black tom, light yellow-green eyes

MEDICINE CAT

**Tuskclaw** – gray tom, amber eyes

**Apprentice, Whiteraven**

WARRIORS

**Thornpool** – black tom, light orange eyes

**Apprentice, Pebblepaw**

**Weedfur **– gray and brown tom, light amber eyes

**Apprentice, Mistpaw**

**Fangeye** – dark gray and brown mottled tom, yellow eyes

**Apprentice, Badgerpaw**

**Boomflower** – black she-cat; light yellow eyes

**Apprentice, Lightpaw**

**Rascalpelt – **black tom, yellow eyes

**Thistleleg –** gray she-cat, light brown eyes; mother of Whiteraven and Cloudedheart by Sharptwig

**Sharptwig** – black long-furred tom, light brown eyes

**Cracktail** – black tom, yellow eyes

**Tangleclaw** – black she-cat, silver eyes; mother of Pebblepaw by Cracktail

**Crashpelt** – slender black tom, silver-yellow eyes

**Dirtcreek** – small black tom, light brown eyes

**Stubbornpool** – black long-furred she-cat, yellow eyes; mother of Stinkclaw, Sludgemarsh, and Swiftleaf by Weedfur

**Snapthorn** – gray long-furred she-cat, dark amber eyes

**Muskcloud** – gray and dark gray tom, amber eyes

**Clawbelly** – black tom, long-furred tail; dark orange eyes

**Frozenleaf** – dark gray tom, light yellow eyes

**Needleclaw** – gray she-cat, amber eyes; mother of Mistpaw, Badgerpaw, and Lightpaw by Fangeye

**Stinkclaw** – dark gray tom; yellow eyes

**Sludgemarsh **– long-furred, dark gray tom; green eyes

**Swiftleaf** – gray and brown mottled tom; yellow eyes

**Reekfur** – black tom; yellow eyes

**Cloudedheart **– gray tabby she-cat; yellow eyes

**Fernstripe** – gray she-cat with black stripes; white chest; white face; white paws; green eyes

APPRENTICES

**Whiteraven **– black tom; white paws and chest; yellow eyes

**Pebblepaw **– black tom; white spot on chest and stomach; dark amber eyes; (Pebbleclaw)

**Mistpaw **– pretty, gray tabby she-cat; blue eyes; (Mistleaf)

**Badgerpaw **– long-furred, silver and gray tom; dark amber eyes; (Badgerfur)

**Lightpaw **– light brown she-cat; white paws; silver eyes; (Lightheart)

QUEENS

**Fleetfur** – black she-cat, long-furred tail, silver eyes; mother of Clawbelly and Frozenleaf by Crusade; mother of Flowerkit and Crowkit by Thornpool

**Pepperclaw** – sleek black she-cat, light yellow eyes; mother of Reekfur, Boomflower, and Blackkit by Rascalpelt; pregnant

**Talonmist** – black she-cat, light brown eyes; mother of Fernstripe by Duskstar; pregnant

ELDERS

**Shovefrost –** black and brown mottled tom, light yellow eyes

**Lardtail –** black tom, light yellow eyes

**Gravelcloud** – gray tom, black nose, light yellow eyes

**Bittertongue **– gray she-cat, yellow eyes

**Grubleaf** – dark gray and brown mottled tom, light brown eyes

**Clingoak** – black tom, light yellow eyes

KITS

**Flowerkit **– black she-cat; light orange eyes; (Flowerfur)

**Crowkit **– black tom with brown patches; dark orange eyes; (Crowlight)

_**Blackkit**_ – black she-cat; silver eyes; (Blackroot)

REFUSED

**Crusade** – black tom, dark orange eyes

**Assault –** black and gray long-furred tom, light yellow eyes

**Gore** – dark gray tom, amber eyes

**Dismal **– black and gray tom, yellow eyes

**Demise **– gray tom, right eye gray, left eye amber

**Gigantic** – large black she-cat, light gray eyes; has Harsh and Rigid by Sharptwig

**Good Kittypets**

**Violet** – white long-furred she-cat, black face, black ears, black tail, and gray front legs, sapphire blue eyes; sister of Tulip; has friends in RiverClan

**Tulip** – white long-furred she-cat, gray face, black ears, black tail, black legs, silver-blue eyes; sister of Violet; has friends in RiverClan

**Francis** – brown tom, silver-white belly and muzzle, amber-green eyes; father of Stormypelt, Brownclaw, Smokefrost, and Willowsky

**Lola** – silver and dark gray striped she-cat, light green eyes, yellow-brown collar; mother of Stormypelt, Brownclaw, Smokefrost, and Willowsky; sister of Murry

**Murry** – gray and dark gray striped tom, black striped tail, white stomach and paws, light yellow eyes, red collar; brother of Lola; has friends in WindClan

**Andy** – tall, slender siamese tom, dark blue eyes; has friends in ShadowClan

**Oliver** – brown and black long-furred mottled tom, gold eyes; has friends in ShadowClan

**Kittypets Once Enslaved By DarkClan**

**Rudy** – brown and dark gray mottled she-cat, light yellow eyes

**Josephine** – black she-cat, yellow eyes, red collar; lives with Doodle

**Doodle** – ginger-brown tom, white chest and stomach, light yellow eyes, red collar; lives with Josephine

**Jenny** – silver and gray she-cat, light yellow eyes, blue collar

**Casey** – white and dark gray patched tom, dark yellow eyes, orange collar

**Neeko** – silver she-cat, dark gray striped tail, wide gray eyes

**Franklin** – ginger tom with white chest, paws, and muzzle; amber eyes

**Barn Cats at Horseplace**

**Palanteen** – silver and brown tom with black patches, amber eyes; (Pal)

**Suzanna** – white and black she-cat, pretty silver-blue eyes; (Suza)

**Screecher** – black, ginger, and white tom, green eyes; (Screech)

**Crystalline** – silver and gray she-cat, black striped legs, face, and tail; crystal blue eyes; (Crysta)

**Bobtail** – black, ginger, and white manx tom, dark orange-amber eyes; (Bob)

**Evil Kittypets (once allied with DarkClan)**

**Louie** – scruffy black tom, torn right ear, yellow eyes

**Joe** – dark gray tom, dark amber eyes

**Marco** – dark gray long-furred tom, silver eyes

**Sammy** – sleek, gray tom, light yellow eyes

**Dru** – black tom, blue-silver eyes

**Ransom** – broad-shouldered black tom, yellow eyes

**Ollie** – dark gray she-cat, light blue eyes, red collar

**Barbie** – small, black she-cat, light yellow eyes

**New Characters**

LONERS

**Renegade** – white tom; gray patches; silver eyes; was once a kittypet; after his kits were kidnapped by DarkClan and his mate was killed by a monster, he began to travel

**Angelina** – long-furred, gray she-cat; right eye yellow, left eye orange; good friends with Abigail

**Bosco** - black and white tom; light yellow eyes; lives in Barley and Ravenpaw's old barn with Gracie and Monty; mate of Gracie

**Gracie** – black she-cat, white spot on chest; silver eyes; lives in Barley and Ravenpaw's old barn with Bosco and Monty; mother of Tanya and Telly by Bosco

**Tanya** – black and white she-cat; yellow eyes; sister of Telly

**Telly** – white and black tom; gray eyes; brother of Tanya

**Monty** - small, silver and gray tom; amber eyes; lives in Barley and Ravenpaw's old barn with Bosco and Gracie

KITTYPETS

**Abigail** – gray she-cat; yellow eyes; red/brown collar with a silver bell; good friends with Angelina

**Franchesca** – tan, brown, and black mottled she-cat; light green eyes

**Isabella** – light brown she-cat; light green eyes

**Peter** – gray and white tom; light brown eyes

**Rodger** – brown tom; white muzzle and chest; dark amber eyes


	2. Prologue

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Warriors, but I do own the characters and plot created for this story. Please don't steal from me.

**Author's Notes:** This prologue was probably the hardest to come up with in the entire series so far. I redid it three times before finally coming up with this. I hope you enjoy!

* * *

**Prologue**

_A ginger tabby tom and a white and ginger she-cat strolled through a green forest lit up by a morning sun. The two were quiet as their similar_ amber eyes scanned the beautiful greenery around them. The tom watched a butterfly flutter by in its zigzagging path through the air. The she-cat watched two squirrels chase one another. A soft, cool breeze blew the tall grass in waves.

"It seems so peaceful, Goldenstar," the white and ginger she-cat meowed. She pawed at a loose rock, sending it skittering ahead of them.

"It's always peaceful here in StarClan, Frostflower," Goldenstar replied. "I've been here longer than you have, but it still amazes me how serene it always seems to be." His eyes filled with pain. "Except for when DarkClan's ancestors were here..."

Frostflower shivered. She'd heard stories from her brother and mentor of the heavenly battle between StarClan and SpiritClan, the dead ancestors of DarkClan.

A silver she-cat with dark gray stripes bounded out of the trees. Her light green eyes were stern as she spotted the two cats. Behind the she-cat was a long-furred, silver and gray tom with a dark gray tail. He looked just as stern as the she-cat he was following.

"Ashfang," Frostflower, the she-cat, said with a nod.

Goldenstar sat down, his tail-tip twitching irritably. "What's going on? It's obvious that you and Cottonbrave have something to tell us."

Ashfang nodded soberly. "Ghostpaw was visited by Echosong of SkyClan in his dreams. He's found out that they need to go and save SkyClan. He hasn't figured out any other parts of the prophecy, though."

"Eaglepaw, Moonpaw, and Fernpaw have had their warrior ceremonies," Cottonbrave, the long-furred silver and gray tom, meowed. "That only leaves Ghostpaw and Tigerpaw. Rowanstar and Thunderstripe have been talking about the difficulties ThunderClan is going to face when two of their warriors leave."

"Rowanstar has finally decided to give his kits their warrior ceremony," Ashfang went on. "Granitetail has decided to retire as an elder, and Rowanstar is going to be announcing his choice of the new deputy..."

Frostflower sighed. "Poor Granitetail. I'm sure he still has a few seasons left in him, but Summerflower being injured so soon after Softcreek's death must have emotionally pained him a great deal."

Ashfang nodded sadly. "Granitetail has always been a great warrior. I'm sure once he joins us, he will be dearly missed in ThunderClan."

Cottonbrave suddenly turned and glared at Goldenstar. "I still don't understand why you stopped me from telling Rowanstar about the war that is coming, Goldenstar! He and the rest of the Clans are completely in the dark!"

Goldenstar's amber eyes blazed. "Do you think I don't know that? This is the way it should be, Cottonbrave! Ghostpaw knows that there is a war coming, but he's mistaken when he thinks the war is between ShadowClan and ThunderClan."

Cottonbrave stepped forward, his claws unsheathed. "That's exactly why we should warn them! They need to prepare themselves! They're going to be facing a greater enemy than DarkClan ever was! More cats are going to die this time! Don't you think it would be fair to let them know that?"

Frostflower shook her head. "Cottonbrave..."

"Don't tell me you agree with Goldenstar, Frostflower!" Cottonbrave hissed. His tail lashed through the air in his anger. "I know it pained you to lose so many cats during the war against DarkClan! Do you really want Maggotstripe to have to go through that, as well?"

Frostflower's amber eyes filled with pain.

Goldenstar snarled. "Don't you dare talk to Frostflower like that! She was a great medicine cat, and I'm sure Maggotstripe is just as great! ThunderClan is strong. They won't lose as many cats..."

Cottonbrave laughed. "You know that isn't true, Goldenstar, so stop denying the truth! TigerClan and LionClan are going to return, and this war will be like no other war we've ever known about! BloodClan...DarkClan...they won't even compare to the horrors of what is to come!"

Ashfang's ears were lying flat against her head. "Cottonbrave, please!"

Cottonbrave shook his head. "Seriously, Goldenstar, sometimes it's like you're still being possessed by Tigerstar, the way you act!"

Goldenstar lunged forward at Cottonbrave, but a blue-gray blur came flying forward to block the ginger tabby, who was once the respected leader of ThunderClan, from attacking Cottonbrave.

"Icefur!" Goldenstar snapped. "What's the meaning of this?"

Icefur stood proudly between Goldenstar and Cottonbrave, his yellow eyes glowing. "You must see reason, Goldenstar. You know as well as I do that Cottonbrave is speaking the truth. I saw firsthand what DarkClan was capable of. I've seen what is to come. We all have. And we all know that the Clans, especially LightClan, are going to need us now, more than ever. We can't turn our backs on them with this war looming over them."

Goldenstar's amber eyes were slits as he glared at Icefur. "And to think," Goldenstar whispered, "it's all going to happen because of Firestar."

"Goldenstar!" Frostflower gasped.

"Calm yourself, Frostflower," a new voice said.

The old ThunderClan cats all turned to see a ginger tom with brilliant green eyes walking toward them. He was accompanied by a long-furred gray tom and a slender, ginger she-cat.

"Firestar!" Goldenstar said, his amber eyes growing wide. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize you there there..."

Firestar's green eyes flashed. "I doubt you would have said differently if you'd known that I was listening, Goldenstar. You may be surprised when I say that I agree with you. The war that is coming is going to happen because of me. But it isn't happening because I want it to. I'd do whatever I could to stop it from happening. Realistically, though, there is nothing that I can do to stop it. There is nothing any of us can do."

"Firestar, you can't blame yourself," the gray tom beside him said.

"I'm not blaming myself directly, Graystripe," Firestar meowed. "But we can't deny that what's going to happen is a result of something I did when I was still just a warrior."

The ginger she-cat beside Firestar hissed. "But you did the right thing, revealing Tigerclaw's treachery!"

Firestar looked at her. "Did I, Sandstorm? Did I really do the right thing when I got rid of Tigerclaw? You remember what happened after he was banished from ThunderClan. He became the leader of ShadowClan, and then he brought BloodClan into the forest. If I _hadn't_ done something to reveal what he was doing, he would have eventually become the leader of ThunderClan...and he might have actually been happy with that."

Sandstorm's eyes filled with tears. "You can't really believe that, Firestar. Tigerstar wouldn't have been happy just being the leader of ThunderClan! He would have tried to take over all of the Clans after becoming ThunderClan's leader!"

Firestar shook his head tiredly.

Cottonbrave looked at Firestar. "What are we going to do? Are we going to warn the Clans of the war that is coming?"

The legendary Firestar's green eyes looked at all of the faces staring at him. He finally looked back at Cottonbrave. "No. We aren't going to tell them." He turned and walked away, Graystripe and Sandstorm following him in silence.

"Firestar! Firestar!" Cottonbrave shouted after the ginger tom, but he got no answer.

Goldenstar spat. "Happy now, Cottonbrave? The legendary Firestar told you not to warn the Clans about the war that is coming!" The ginger tabby turned and walked away.

Frostflower looked at Ashfang, Cottonbrave, and Icefur sadly before going after her brother.

Ashfang stared at her paws. "I hope the Clans have the strength for what is to come." Without another word, she stood and walked away.

Cottonbrave looked up at the clear, blue sky above. "I used to pray to StarClan when I was alive...but now that I'm part of StarClan...who do I pray to now?"

Icefur looked upwards as well. "I don't know, Cottonbrave. I really don't know."

* * *

**End of Prologue**


	3. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Warriors, but I do own the characters and plot created for this story. Please don't steal from me.

* * *

**Chapter 1**

_The chill of leaf-fall was in the air. Red leaves yet to have fallen from branches fluttered, dangerously close to being torn from the limbs._ A large gust of wind sent a shower of red and gold leaves spiraling downward into a stone hollow in the ground. The leaves landed on the back and head of a ginger tom who was licking the last bits of a mouse from his lips.

A gray and silver tabby she-cat sitting beside the ginger tom laughed. "That's a good look for you, Ghostpaw."

The ginger tom known as Ghostpaw shook the leaves from his pelt. "I wish it wasn't leaf-fall. The cold is going to make it difficult to travel on our journey."

A silver tom with dark gray stripes ran a paw over his ear as he cleaned his face. "You'll be fine. You'll just have to make sure you stay as warm as possible. Be glad it isn't leafbare, or you'd have to worry about snow."

The journey they spoke of was one they'd been given by a prophecy that had been told to them by their warrior ancestors in StarClan, the Clan of heavenly cats who had passed on. One cat from each of the five Clans, ThunderClan, RiverClan, WindClan, ShadowClan, and LightClan, were chosen to go on the journey. The prophecy was very cryptic, and so far the cats had only been able to figure out that they were being asked to go and find a Clan called SkyClan and help SkyClan's leader realize his mate still loved him.

A white she-cat walked over. Her dark green eyes were glowing. "Rowanstar wants to speak to you three. I think it's time."

Ghostpaw's ears twitched. He looked warmly at the white she-cat. "Thanks, Smudgewing. It's about time. He's been talking to Thunderstripe about it for the past quarter moon."

The gray and silver tabby she-cat stretched. "Ghostpaw, we know you're impatient to leave, but this isn't something we can just rush into. It takes a lot of preparation."

"Ashpaw..." Ghostpaw started, but he was cut off by the silver tom with dark gray stripes.

"She has a point, Ghostpaw," he said. "Once we become warriors, ThunderClan will only be left with Stonepaw and Shimmerpaw. Our leader has to take that into consideration."

"Thanks for agreeing with me, Cottonpaw!" Ashpaw meowed, her silvery-green eyes glinting.

Cottonpaw stood up. "Let's go. We don't want to let Rowanstar wait too long."

Ghostpaw touched his nose to Smudgewing's cheek quickly. "We won't be long. I have a feeling you'll be hearing Rowanstar shout for a Clan meeting sometime today."

Smudgewing's eyes glowed with pride. "You deserve your warrior ceremony, Ghostpaw."

"You'll be there watching, right?" Ghostpaw asked as his brother and sister walked away.

"StarClan couldn't keep me from watching," Smudgewing replied with a laugh. She licked his ear quickly. "Go, before Rowanstar gets impatient."

Ghostpaw dashed off after his siblings. The three of them clambered up the stone side of the hollow that made up ThunderClan's camp. They passed the Highledge, where their leader, who was also their father, Rowanstar, spoke to the Clan during important events. A few heartbeats later, they stood outside of the leader's den.

Ghostpaw meowed to announce their arrival.

"Come in!" Rowanstar called.

The three slipped inside to find Rowanstar and Thunderstripe sitting side-by-side.

"I'm glad you came so quickly," Rowanstar meowed. His yellow eyes were filled with pride and a little sorrow. "I believe it is time for your warrior ceremony. We've waited long enough, and it would be unfair to keep you any longer from beginning your journey to save SkyClan."

"Finally!" Ashpaw meowed. "It feels like we've been waiting forever!"

Rowanstar sighed. "We must discuss everything we'll be telling the Clan. We'll tell them about the prophecy that is sending you away and the powers given to you by your StarClan ancestors. Granitetail has decided to retire as an elder. I'm going to be announcing who I've chosen as the new deputy, as well. Gingerheart learned yesterday that she and Thunderstripe are having more kits, so I will be announcing that as well."

"I wonder who you're going to choose as deputy," Ashpaw said, looking pointedly at Thunderstripe, the black and pepper-striped tabby tom who had been Rowanstar's best friend since they were kits.

Thunderstripe's yellow eyes blinked innocently. "You'll just have to wait until Rowanstar announces it."

"Would you like to begin by doing the ceremony first, or should we explain to them about the prophecy and your powers?" Rowanstar asked his three kits.

"It would probably be better if we explained everything first. That way everyone will know why we're having our warrior ceremony," Ghostpaw replied.

Rowanstar nodded. "Then we'll have the ceremony at sunhigh. I'll first announce the new deputy and Gingerheart having kits."

"Great," Ghostpaw said.

"You may go," Rowanstar said.

Ghostpaw led his siblings out of the den. They walked over to where Smudgewing and Meadowbreeze, a pretty, brown tabby she-cat with light green eyes, were sitting.

"Hi, Cottonpaw!" Meadowbreeze meowed.

Cottonpaw wound his tail around Meadowbreeze's. "Hi, Meadowbreeze. How was the border patrol?"

"Nothing unusual," Meadowbreeze replied. "We haven't seen or scented that rogue tom since he attacked Summerflower and Stormtail."

"How is Summerflower?" Ashpaw wondered, looking at Smudgewing.

"She's feeling much better. Maggotstripe said that she can return to her duties in a few days," Smudgewing replied happily.

Ghostpaw touched his nose to Smudgewing's cheek. "That's great to hear. I know you were really worried about your sister."

Smudgewing nodded. "Yes. I'm so glad that she's healed up so quickly."

Cedarspirit, Ghostpaw's mentor, walked over with Stormtail and Shimmerpaw, Stormtail's apprentice. Stormtail was a dark gray tom with a white chest and paws; he was also Rowanstar's nephew and Ghostpaw's cousin. Shimmerpaw, daughter of Silvermoon, Ashpaw's mentor, and Mistmeadow, was a long-furred white she-cat with a gray and brown face, ears, paws, and tail.

"Ghostpaw, we're going out on a hunting patrol. Do you want to come?" Cedarspirit, whose ginger pelt was brilliantly orange in the morning sunlight, asked.

Shimmerpaw saw Ebonykit and Tawnykit running over from the nursery. She jumped to her paws and raced over to the two she-kits. All three of them giggled as they rolled around.

"Shimmerpaw!" Stormtail shouted, his light yellow eyes stern. "You aren't a kit anymore! Come over here!"

Shimmerpaw shook the dust from her fur and padded over. "I was only having a bit of fun, Stormtail. Ebonykit and Tawnykit have no one else to play with but each other now."

Stormtail flicked his tail. "That doesn't mean you can go off and play with them when we have a Clan to feed."

"Are you coming, Ghostpaw?" Cedarspirit asked over the quarreling mentor and apprentice. "Stormtail is teaching Shimmerpaw how to hunt birds today. I thought you'd like to help show her how it's done."

"Great! Let's go!" Ghostpaw said.

The four of them headed out of the camp through the tunnel entrance. Gingerheart, a ginger-brown she-cat, and Stormypelt, a silver and gray she-cat with a few black stripes, who was Ghostpaw's mother, were walking back toward the camp. Stormypelt was beginning to show the kits growing inside her.

"Hello! Going hunting?" Stormypelt purred.

"I'm learning how to hunt birds today!" Shimmerpaw said excitedly.

Gingerheart laughed. "That should be fun."

They said good-bye to the two she-cats before trotting further into the forest. Cedarspirit took the lead, treading the way through fallen leaves.

"We'll head over to the Sky Oak," Cedarspirit meowed. "There should be plenty of birds over there for Shimmerpaw to practice hunting."

Shimmerpaw's sapphire blue eyes widened with excitement.

Ghostpaw remembered when he'd once been so excited to learn everything about hunting and fighting. He'd wanted to be the best warrior he could so that everyone, especially his father and mother, could be proud of him. Ever since he'd learned he was part of a prophecy, he'd been so focused on first denying he was special and then trying to learn what it was he needed to do that he'd totally forgotten about trying to be the best warrior he could be.

They reached the Sky Oak a little while later. Cedarspirit had been right; there were quite a few birds pecking around the leaves. Ghostpaw paused beneath the large tree, remembering the last time he'd been here. Stormtail's shoulders had tensed up. Clearly, he was remembering as well. Beneath the Sky Oak, Stormtail and Summerflower had been attacked by a rogue tom who had been part of a larger group of rogues that had situated in ShadowClan's territory before ThunderClan had helped to chase them off. It had been a quarter moon since anybody had last seen the rogue tom that had attacked Stormtail and Summerflower, but Ghostpaw very much doubted that the tom had actually left for good.

"Why don't you hunt over there, Ghostpaw," Cedarspirit meowed, gesturing with his tail toward the area to the right of the Sky Oak. "I'll hunt over here. We'll leave you to teach Shimmerpaw by yourself, Stormtail."

Stormtail nodded. His shoulders were still tensed, and the fur on the back of his neck was slightly bristled. "Okay, Shimmerpaw. I'm going to first show you how to..."

Ignoring the others, Ghostpaw trotted off into the forest. He opened his mouth to scent for any prey nearby. He caught the odor of a mouse and creped through the underbrush along its trail. It wasn't long before he found the mouse sitting on the root of a tree that was sticking up out of the dirt. The mouse was gnawing on a tiny seed. Ghostpaw silently moved forward, using the techniques Cedarspirit had taught him what seemed like so long ago...

Something white flashed in his vision, and he sat up as the mouse disappeared beneath the paws of the white tom. Ghostpaw spat and lunged forward. His paws connected in the shoulders of the rogue tom that had just taken his prey. Ghostpaw sent up a loud caterwaul that echoed through the trees as the rogue tom threw him off.

"Get out of our territory!" Ghostpaw shouted, slashing unsheathed claws at the tom's face.

The tom's ears lay flat against his head as he hissed. "You chased my Clan from our new home! You deserve to have prey stolen!"

Ghostpaw's entire pelt stood up, making him look twice as big as normal. "That wasn't your home! That's ShadowClan's territory! You can't take over someone else's home just because you feel like it!"

The tom laughed harshly. "If that was their territory, why didn't they try and protect it from us? They're just a bunch of weak, mindless mouse-brains!"

Ghostpaw spat and clawed at the tom again. "Get out of here!"

Stormtail and Shimmerpaw crashed through the trees. Stormtail saw the rogue tom and gave a battle cry. Shimmerpaw's blue eyes were wide with surprise.

The tom hissed angrily. "A em e megpao!"

Stormtail skidded to a stop. Shimmerpaw slammed into him. Stormtail yowled in terror. Shimmerpaw screamed. Ghostpaw felt like his paws were stuck to the ground.

The rogue tom was shrinking. His face protruded outwards as his tail grew shorter and shorter before flaring out into the tail of a bird. Ghostpaw's heart was thundering in his chest as wings sprouted from the tom's back. Within a few seconds, the white tom had become a magpie. With a cackle, the bird spread its wings and disappeared into the sky.

Cedarspirit ran over. His face was solemn, but his amber eyes were filled with a silent panic. "We need to get back to camp and tell Rowanstar what has happened."

* * *

"_No_!" Rowanstar shouted in terror when Cedarspirit finished his report.

Cedarspirit closed his eyes. "It's true, Rowanstar. The tom knew magick."

Rowanstar stared at the ground, panting. Thunderstripe stared at Cedarspirit with wide, frightened eyes. Ghostpaw trembled as his leader, his father, began to pace in circles. Rowanstar's entire pelt was bristled. Stormtail turned and walked away toward the medicine cat's den, probably to go and seek comfort from Summerflower. Shimmerpaw watched her mentor walk away. Ghostpaw saw that her paws were shaking more than his own.

"Come on, Shimmerpaw," Ghostpaw whispered. "Let's go find Mistmeadow."

He knew the young apprentice needed to be comforted right now, and the only cat who he could think of that would help calm her down was her mother.

Ashpaw, Cottonpaw, and Smudgewing came running over. They'd been watching the hunting patrol reporting to Rowanstar, and Ghostpaw was pretty sure that his sister had been using her StarClan given power to hear thoughts to eavesdrop on what they were saying.

"Do you know where Mistmeadow is?" Ghostpaw asked.

"I saw her going into the warriors' den," Smudgewing said. "I'll fetch her." The white she-cat ran over to the warriors' den.

"Are you okay, Ghostpaw?" Ashpaw asked, her silvery-green eyes round.

Ghostpaw licked at a ruffled patch of fur on his chest instead of answering Ashpaw's question. What was he supposed to say?

Cottonpaw draped his tail over Shimmerpaw's shoulders and whispered to her softly.

Smudgewing led Mistmeadow over. The silver and white flecked she-cat's light yellow eyes were filled with concern.

"Mistmeadow!" Shimmerpaw said.

"Come with me, Shimmerpaw," Mistmeadow meowed, touching her nose to Shimmerpaw's forehead. "You can come tell me what happened."

The mother and daughter walked away.

"Ghostpaw?" Smudgewing whispered. "Ashpaw told us what happened. Are you okay?"

Ghostpaw shivered. "It was...I can't even explain."

"Gruesome," Ashpaw mumbled. "I saw him changing in your head, Ghostpaw. It's gruesome. Unnatural."

"What were you expecting?" Cottonpaw asked, sounding unusually rough. "We've heard the stories about magick from the elders. Our own father used magick to turn himself into a fox!"

Ghostpaw froze. He hadn't given it a second thought at first, but he now realized that he'd understood what the tom had said. The words 'A em e megpao' had immediately translated to 'I am a magpie' in Ghostpaw's head.

Ashpaw gasped. "You can understand magick, Ghostpaw!"

"What?" Smudgewing asked, her green eyes widening.

"I can understand magick tongue," Ghostpaw whispered, shivering. "I understood it in my vision of the past...when Ghostlight spoke it. And I understood it just now, when that rogue tom used it."

"But what does that mean?" Smudgewing asked worriedly.

Cottonpaw ran unsheathed claws through the dirt, leaving grooves in the ground. "It means that Ghostpaw is even more special than we first thought."

Ghostpaw grunted. "It might make me more special, but I feel the same as usual." He looked over at where Rowanstar was whispering with Thunderstripe. Cedarspirit had been dismissed, but Ghostpaw didn't know where he'd gone. "I think I need to tell Rowanstar about this. He might know...what to do."

Before he could run over to his father, however, Rowanstar turned and bounded over toward the Highledge.

"He's calling a meeting," Ashpaw meowed. "To announce what has happened, as well as everything else he said he'd announce earlier. He wants to get everything out in the open."

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather here beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting! I need everyone here, please!" Rowanstar yowled.

The ThunderClan cats began to come forward, whispering amongst themselves. Maggotstripe, Ravenheart, Stormtail, and Summerflower came out from the medicine cat's den. Pebbletail led Stonepaw over from near the apprentices' den. Oakpelt, Rainfur, Lightdew, and Darkeye padded over from the fresh-kill pile. Other warriors came from the dirt place and the warriors' den. Following behind Stormypelt, Cloverpelt led her bouncing kits over to sit beside Mistmeadow, who had her tail-tip touching Shimmerpaw's shoulder. Using his tail on her shoulder, Thornfur led the blind Poppyflower over as Quickpelt, Twigleaf, and Wetpelt padded on ahead of them.

"Everyone is here," Ashpaw whispered. She was nervously sheathing and unsheathing her claws. "I can't believe we're telling them..."

Rowanstar took a deep breath. Ghostpaw looked up at Rowanstar, willing his father to have the strength to tell his entire Clan about everything, from the good news to the bad.

"I will start with the good news," Rowanstar said. "Gingerheart has learned that she and Thunderstripe are having more kits."

A chorus of congratulations echoed throughout the camp. Gingerheart's light brown eyes were gleaming with happiness as she leaned into Thunderstripe, who was smiling.

Rowanstar waited for the cheering to die down before he continued. "We all know that Granitetail has been one of the greatest warriors in our Clan, and it was my pleasure having him as my deputy. However, Granitetail has decided to retire to the elders' den after a long life serving his Clan so loyally."

"Granitetail! Granitetail!" the ThunderClan cats called.

Granitetail dipped his head from where he sat beneath the Highledge. Ghostpaw hadn't realized how old Granitetail looked, but he could now see the weariness in the old tom's eyes. Ghostpaw blinked as two she-cats appeared on either side of Granitetail. He recognized Softcreek, the mother of all of Granitetail's daughters. The white she-cat with the brown and cream face had to be Fernflight, Granitetail's first mate, who had died of greencough so many seasons ago.

"I say these words before all of ThunderClan and StarClan so that StarClan may hear and approve my choice," Rowanstar meowed. "I choose Thunderstripe as the new deputy of ThunderClan!"

"No surprise there," Ghostpaw heard Thornfur chuckle to Wetpelt.

Thunderstripe's yellow eyes shown brightly as a soft breeze blew through camp.

"Thunderstripe! Thunderstripe!" Shadeclaw called first before more cats joined him.

Rowanstar waited patiently for the Clan to quiet down once again. "Now on to the more...urgent news." Rowanstar's eyes raked the faces of his Clanmates gathered beneath him. "Cedarspirit, Stormtail, Ghostpaw, and Shimmerpaw were out hunting today when they came upon the rogue tom again."

Gasps went around. Ghostpaw's neck fur stood up as his Clanmates began whispering to each other worriedly.

"That is not all!" Rowanstar shouted, silencing the Clan. Ghostpaw admired the strength seeping from his father's voice. "They witnessed the rogue tom use magick to turn into a bird and fly away!"

"Magick?" Stonepaw, Shimmerpaw's gray and brown brother, asked as some of the older cats cried out in horror around him.

"It can't be true!" Lightdew, a cream and white she-cat, cried.

"Why would they lie about something like that?" Twigleaf, a ginger she-cat elder with dark ginger stripes, hissed at Lightdew.

"But it is true!" Cedarspirit shouted. "We saw it with our own eyes!"

Frightened by their uncle's words, Ebonykit and Tawnykit pressed themselves to Cloverpelt, who curled her tail around them protectively. Cloverpelt's brown and cream fur was bristled.

"How can the tom know magick?" Oakpelt, a gray and white tom, yowled.

"The only way he could know is if DarkClan taught it to him!" Darkeye, Thunderstripe's gray and dark gray brother, meowed.

Pureheart, a white and black tom with a horribly scarred left eye, shook his head in disbelief. "But DarkClan is LightClan now! They have turned away from evil! We cannot blame them now..."

"That doesn't mean a thing!" Rainfur, Oakpelt's gray-furred sister, growled. "We know for a fact that DarkClan traveled far and wide, destroying Clans and Tribes! And we also know that a handful of the DarkClan cats turned away the chance to become LightClan! It could have been them that taught the rogue how to use magick!"

"Silence!" Rowanstar commanded. "I will lead a patrol to LightClan to discuss everything with Duskstar and his Clanmates! But we have more that I need to announce!" He turned to look at Ghostpaw and his brother and sister. "Please come forward, Ghostpaw, Ashpaw, and Cottonpaw."

As Ghostpaw and his siblings stepped forward, the cats around them whispered to each other, probably wondering why Rowanstar was asking his kits to come forward.

"As many of you know, I was the cat in the prophecy that told of the coming of DarkClan," Rowanstar went on. "It was my destiny to destroy DarkClan by killing their leader, Sly. It was I who was responsible for the creation of LightClan, the fifth Clan that lives near the lake.

"During the war against DarkClan, I fell in love with a kittypet who joined ThunderClan," Rowanstar said. He looked lovingly at Stormypelt, who looked back at him with the same love in her pretty, light blue eyes. "These kits you see before you are mine and Stormypelt's. They are loyal, dedicated cats, even though they are still only apprentices."

Ghostpaw held his breath as Rowanstar paused.

"So, I ask you to keep that in mind as I tell you about their prophecy and the powers they were given by StarClan," Rowanstar meowed.

There was a stunned silence.

"Cottonpaw has the ability to camouflage himself so that he blends into the background," Rowanstar said as Cottonpaw suddenly disappeared. The cats closest to him yelped as Cottonpaw reappeared in a different spot.

"Ashpaw can read the thoughts of those around her," Rowanstar said.

Ashpaw looked at Pureheart. "You're thinking of going over to sit beside Pebbletail."

Pureheart's yellow eyes widened in shock.

"Ghostpaw can walk in the dreams of other cats, like his ancestor, Jayfeather. He can see the past, present, and future. He can see and speak to the spirits of those who have passed on from this world and into StarClan..."

"I can understand magick tongue!" Ghostpaw blurted out.

Rowanstar blinked. "What?"

"I understood what the rogue tom was saying when he used magick tongue to transform!" Ghostpaw said.

Rowanstar nodded once. "He can understand magick tongue. Ghostpaw is the chosen ThunderClan cat of a new prophecy! One cat from each Clan has been chosen to journey to where SkyClan lives to aid them with something they cannot fix by themselves. Ashpaw has decided to go with him, but Cottonpaw will stay behind."

_What about the war_? Ghostpaw suddenly thought. He hadn't thought about it in so long. Firestar had warned him about a war that was coming, but the ginger tom who was his ancestor hadn't spoken about it much since then. _What if the war starts while we're gone? Should I warn Rowanstar about it?_

_NO! You will not tell Rowanstar!_ Firestar's voice pounded in Ghostpaw's head, making him flinch. He saw Ashpaw glance at him with curious eyes, but he waved his tail at her to tell her to forget about it.

"It is Ghostpaw's destiny to go on this journey," Rowanstar was saying. "So, I have decided to give my kits their warrior ceremony so that Ghostpaw and Ashpaw are not apprentices when they journey out into the vast world beyond our territories."

_Finally_! Ghostpaw heard Ashpaw say in his head.

_Yes_, Ghostpaw thought, looking around at the shocked expressions on the faces of his Clanmates. _It's finally time._

* * *

**End of Chapter One**


	4. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Warriors, but I do own the characters and plot created for this story. Please don't steal from me.

* * *

**Chapter 2**

_"I, Rowanstar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these three apprentices. They have trained hard_ to understand the way of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warrior in their turn.

"Cottonpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Cottonpaw lifted his chin proudly. "I do."

"Then, by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. From this day forward, you will be known as Cottonclaw. StarClan honors your bravery and your strength, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan."

Rowanstar turned to Ashpaw. "Ashpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Ashpaw's ears perked forward and her whiskers twitched. "Yes, I do."

"Then, by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. From this day forward, you will be known as Ashflower. StarClan honors your bravery and your strength, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan."

At last, Rowanstar turned to Ghostpaw. "Ghostpaw, you are extremely special. More so than you realize. It is time that you take the next step forward to embrace your destiny.

"Ghostpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Ghostpaw swallowed, took a deep breath, and said, "I do."

A huge gust of wind blew through the camp, sending red and gold leaves spiraling through the sky above the gathered cats. Rowanstar breathed in deeply.

"Then, by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Ghostpaw, from this day forward, you will be known as Ghostwind. StarClan honors your bravery and your strength, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan!"

Rowanstar stepped and touched his nose to each of their foreheads. Cottonclaw, Ashflower, and Ghostwind licked their father's shoulder with respect.

"May StarClan always watch over you and guide you in fulfilling your destinies!" Rowanstar meowed.

Smudgewing leaped to her feet. "Cottonclaw! Ashflower! Ghostwind! Cottonclaw! Ashflower! Ghostwind!"

Thunderstripe and Gingerheart began to chant alongside Smudgewing. Granitetail, Oakpelt, Stormtail, and then everyone else joined in until every cat in ThunderClan was chanting their names.

Ghostwind glanced up at the Highledge and saw Firestar seated there. There was a pained look on the tom's face. His green eyes flashed before he disappeared.

_What is going on, Firestar? Why am I not allowed to tell my father about the war you warned me about_? Ghostwind thought to himself. _Something fishy is going on._

He wasn't able to think any more about it, however, because Smudgewing bounded over to him with Skunkpelt and Shadeclaw so that they could congratulate him.

Ghostwind couldn't believe his father had been right. Despite the fact they had all just learned that their leader's kits had been hiding an important secret from them, his Clanmates still cheered with joy.

The cats began to break apart, some going to Thunderstripe and Gingerheart to congratulate them, while others crowded around Ghostwind and his siblings. Above the babble of the Gathered cats, Ghostwind heard Stonepaw asked Ashflower, "What am I thinking about right now?"

Cottonclaw touched Ghostwind's shoulder with his tail. "You okay?"

Ghostwind nodded. "It's just...a little overwhelming."

Cottonclaw nodded in understanding. His eyes scanned the crowd pressing around them. The cats surrounding them were firing questions at the two brothers, their voices growing louder as they tried to shout over each other. They were beginning to fall silent as their questions continued to go unanswered.

Ashflower pushed her way over to them. "Come on," she said, aloud. In their heads they heard, _All their thoughts are giving me a headache. Let's go for a walk._

The three of them excused themselves and left the camp.

_Many of them are confused...they don't know why we're leaving. Rowanstar will tel them to leave us alone for now_, Ashflower's voice meowed.

"I think we can talk out loud now," Cottonclaw said, sounding tired.

Ashflower sighed. "That was so much harder than I thought it would be. You two are lucky you didn't have to hear their thoughts."

Ghostwind looked up at the sky. "It feels almost like a dream...we're warriors now."

"Doesn't that just leave Tigerpaw to receive his warrior name, before you leave?" Cottonclaw asked.

Ghostwind and Ashflower nodded.

"It shouldn't be too much longer." Ghostwind sighed. "And then we'll finally be on our way to fulfilling the prophecy."

"Why won't you come with us, Cottonclaw?" Ashflower wondered quietly.

"You already know the answer to that, Ashflower," Cottonclaw meowed. "I need to stay here to protect our Clan."

"Protect our Clan from _what_, exactly?" Ashflower grumbled. "You hardly ever use your power. Do you think something bad is going to happen while we're gone?"

"I'm pretty sure something will," Cottonclaw said.

_Hopefully it won't be the war Firestar warned be about_, Ghostwind thought.

"I don't want to argue about it, Ashflower," Cottonclaw went on.

Ghostwind watched a few leaves fall to the ground as they walked further into the forest. The lake came into view between a few of the trees. "We've already reached the lake."

"I'm going to miss seeing the lake when we leave," Ashflower said. "And sleeping in a den..."

Ghostwind halted. "We get to sleep in the warriors' den!"

Cottonclaw laughed. "You just now realized that?"

He glared at his brother. "I've had other things on my mind lately."

"Oooh, you get to sleep with Smudgewing again!" Ashflower laughed teasingly.

Ghostwind clawed at her, but she darted away. "Get back here, you!"

Cottonclaw laughed as his younger siblings ran off into the forest. "I'm really going to mis them when they leave..."

* * *

Ghostwind stretched and looked up at the sky. The dark blackness was turning to a navy blue. The sun would be up soon, meaning he, Cottonclaw, and Ashflower could end their warrior vigil and get some much needed rest. He yawned as Ashflower padded over from the fresh-kill pile. Her paws were dragging sleepily.

A tumble of rocks made the two of the them look up to see their father coming down out of his den. Cottonclaw walked over from the tunnel entrance just as Rowanstar reached them.

"Your vigil is almost over," Rowanstar whispered. "Are you ready for a good rest?"

Not allowed to talk because of their vigil, all three of ThunderClan's newest warriors nodded.

The four of them sat quietly together and watched the sun turn the sky from navy blue to the pale orange, pink, and blue of a cloudy morning.

Rowanstar sighed happily. "Your vigil is over," he meowed. "All three of you get a good rest. You're coming with Thunderstripe and me to LightClan at sunhigh."

"Thanks, Rowanstar," Cottonclaw said.

Tiredly, the three of them trudged over to the warriors' den.

Ghostwind found Smudgewing curled up beside her sisters, Skunkpelt and Springfoot. He nudged Smudgewing over a little to allow himself room in the space between her and his uncle, Forestclaw. Cottonclaw went and immediately curled into a free nest beside Meadowbreeze, who sighed in her sleep as Cottonclaw pressed close to her. After finally getting situated, Ghostwind glanced around to see where his sister had gone. She was already sound asleep, sprawled out with her back to Whiskerheart. The tom had woken up and was gazing at Ashflower happily.

_Hmm...I wonder when that happened_, Ghostwind thought drowsily. He put his head down on his paws and slipped off to sleep.

* * *

"Wake up, you sleepyhead! Rowanstar won't wait forever!"

Ghostwind opened his eyes to see Smudgewing gazing down at him with her dark green eyes. "What?" he asked slowly.

"You're going with Rowanstar to LightClan, aren't you?" Smudgewing meowed, pressing her paw into his shoulder. "It's nearly sunhigh."

Ghostwind quickly hefted himself to his paws. "I totally forgot! Thanks for waking me up, Smudgewing."

"It was no problem. Now, get going!" she said. "You can tell me all about it when you get back!"

Ghostwind waved his tail in good-bye and headed out of the den. He spotted Rowanstar, Thunderstripe, Cottonclaw, and Ashflower waiting for him by the camp entrance.

"Hey, sleepyhead!" Ashflower laughed as he padded over.

"We're going to stop and find something to eat before we head to LightClan's territory," Rowanstar said to Ghostwind.

Ghostwind's stomach growled at the news. "Great. I'm starving!"

A hunting patrol made up of Whiskerheart, Palefur, and Darkeye came into the camp.

"Hey, Ashflower," Whiskerheart said around the two mice in his mouth.

Ashflower's silvery-green eyes brightened when she saw Whiskerheart. "Hey! Did you catch much this morning?"

The black-striped tom shook his silver head. "Cold weather is making prey scarce."

Rowanstar perked up his ears at Whiskerheart's words. "Have one of the apprentices take what you caught to the elders and queens, Whiskerheart. Then go out again and add to whatever is left in the fresh-kill pile."

"Okay, Rowanstar," Whiskerheart said. He turned away, but their leader called him back.

"Whiskerheart, could you watch over the camp while we're away, instead? Perhaps you could get together a few separate hunting patrols to gather as much prey as possible," Rowanstar meowed.

"Of course, Rowanstar! I'll get to it right away!" Whiskerheart meowed.

Thunderstripe glanced at Rowanstar as they headed into the forest. "Wouldn't Oakpelt or maybe Cedarspirit have been a better choice to watch over the camp?"

"Oakpelt's popularity have waned ever since his affair," Rowanstar said. "As for Cedarspirit, he likes following orders more than giving them."

"I'm glad you picked Whiskerheart. He's a hard worker and very loyal," Ashflower commented.

Ghostwind remembered Whiskerheart being harassed by ShadowClan, back when their neighboring Clan had been overrun by a group of rogues. Whiskerheart and his sister, Maggotstripe, the ThunderClan medicine cat, had both lived with their rogue parents and brother before DarkClan had killed them, enslaved Whiskerheart, and forced Maggotstripe to spy on ThunderClan.

"I think it's nice to reassure him that he is accepted b our Clan, even though he wasn't born into it," Ghostwind meowed.

"That's very insightful, Ghostwind," Rowanstar meowed. "Both you and Ashflower are right. I can see Whiskerheart being around for a long time. If he finds the right she-cat, I'm sure he'll give ThunderClan some wonderful kits." Ghostwind didn't miss his father's glance at Ashflower when he said 'right she-cat.' Ashflower was oblivious to the look.

"Do you really think Duskstar is going to know anything about how the rogue tom knows magick?" Thunderstripe wondered of Rowanstar.

"He might not, but someone in his Clan most likely knows," Rowanstar said. "Duskstar was only an apprentice when DarkClan came to the lake."

"Duskstar was a member of ThunderClan, wasn't he?" Ashflower asked.

"For a little while," Rowanstar replied. "He was named Duskpaw when he joined us. Then he was called Dusklight for a short time before he was chosen as LightClan's first leader."

"He's done really well as their leader," Thunderstripe commented.

"Yes, he has," Rowanstar agreed. "I knew he was the right cat to lead the once evil cats onto the path of the warrior code."

"Isn't it weird to see cats at the Gathering who you fought so hard against during the war? I mean, they were so evil," Ghostwind said. He thought back to his vision of the past, where he'd watched his father kill Sly, the menacing leader of DarkClan. Ghostwind had never seen such a vicious cat before.

"That's in the past, Ghostwind. We'd all do well to forget about it. LightClan shares a territory near the lake. They are a rival Clan now. Seeing them is no different than seeing ShadowClan, WindClan, or RiverClan cats we have fought against," Rowanstar said.

"But we haven't really fought against the other Clans, have we?" Ashflower pointed out.

"That's fine with me. No fighting means everything is calm and peaceful in the forest," Thunderstripe said.

"Yes, but I fear something tragic is on the way. The forest has been too quiet for too long. We have a new prophecy to consider," Rowanstar said.

_Does Rowanstar suspect the war that Firestar warned me about?_ Ghostwind wondered to himself. _Why don't you want me to warn him, Firestar?_

The patrol reached the edge of the lake.

"Okay, enough talk. Find something to eat before we leave," Rowanstar ordered.

Ghostwind's stomach rumbled. He separated from the others and went off to find some prey scent. It wasn't long before he found a mouse scratching at a pile of leaves. He caught it and ate it quickly before returning to where the others were waiting.

"Ready? Let's go," Rowanstar said.

He led them, single file, along the edge of the lake. They crossed onto WindClan territory and continued along in complete silence.

Ghostwind's fur suddenly stood up on the back of his neck. He could tell a vision was coming, but his sight wasn't going black like it normally did. In the back of his mind, he saw a cat being chased by three others. The four were heading straight for them...and the one being chased was going to slam into Rowanstar and send them both tumbling into the lake.

"Rowanstar! Stop!" Ghostwind shouted, making everyone pause.

They could now hear the heavy pawsteps of running cats, growing closer by the second.

A brown and dark brown tom came flying past. He shot across their path and straight into the lake. The other two cats slowed down.

"ThunderClan cats!" the black, WindClan she-cat yowled.

"Trespassers!" hissed the small, black tom beside her. His white-tipped tail lashed through the air. He was small enough to be an apprentice, but Ghostwind didn't recognize him.

"Irisfur, stop over-reacting," the eggshell white tom with a gray head, legs, and tail beside the black she-cat said. Ghostwind recognized him as his uncle, Smokefrost, the brother of Stormypelt. Smokefrost turned curious, light blue eyes on Rowanstar. "What are you doing on our territory?"

"We have business with LightClan, and we are only passing through," Rowanstar replied. He turned to watch the brown and dark brown tom climb out of the lake and shake himself off. "Are you injured, Lionstorm?"

Lionstorm! Now Ghostwind knew why the brown tom looked so familiar. Lionstorm was RiverClan's deputy. But what was he doing on WindClan territory?

"I hope he's hurt! It might teach him a lesson not to steal prey from WindClan!" Irisfur snapped.

Lionstorm snorted and glared at Irisfur. "What's it to you? We've found WindClan scent on our territory. It's obvious _you've_ been stealing _our_ prey!"

Rowanstar grunted. "This is none of ThunderClan's business, so we'll be on our way."

"Hold on!" Irisfur said impatiently. "You said you had business with LightClan. What possible reason could you have to speak to them? Your territories don't neighbor one another!"

Rowanstar's neck fur bristled slightly. "Are you speaking out of your own curiosity, Irisfur, or are you planning on reporting anything I say to Graystar?"

Ghostwind could hear Ashflower's laughter in his head. He shot her a glare.

Irisfur seemed to suddenly realize that she was speaking to the leader of ThunderClan. Her yellow eyes darted around in embarrassment. "I'm sure Graystar would like to know why an old ally is conversing with an old enemy."

Rowanstar hissed at her words. "LightClan is no longer the enemy! If Graystar thinks so, you can tell him that ThunderClan's leader trusts LightClan. And don't forget to remind him who it was that defeated DarkClan and brought LightClan from the darkness!"

Irisfur ducked her head.

The apprentice beside her crept away, in awe of Rowanstar. His movement caught Rowanstar's attention and the leader turned to stare at the young, black tom.

"What's your name?" Rowanstar wondered of the apprentice.

"F...Frogpaw," the tom replied, stuttering.

"Is Irisfur your mentor?"

The young apprentice nodded.

"You'd do well to learn from someone else how to respect the leaders of all the Clans," Rowanstar grumbled.

Smokefrost's neck fur bristled. "That was uncalled for, Rowanstar."

Rowanstar glanced at Smokefrost, who looked back with squinted eyes. "I'll tell Stormypelt that you say hello. We'll be on our way now," he said. He flicked his tail and padded away.

They continued on in silence until they were out of earshot of the the WindClan warriors and RiverClan deputy.

"I don't understand. Lionstorm has always been loyal to the warrior code, ever since he came to the forest," Rowanstar said softly.

_What I don't understand is why you said what you did to Frogpaw_, Ghostwind thought.

"Featherstar may have put him up to it. She wouldn't back down if WindClan was stealing prey," Thunderstripe meowed. Ghostwind noticed the tension in the new deputy's shoulders. Was he worried as well about what Rowanstar had said to Frogpaw?

Rowanstar shook his head. "After everything we went through together during the war against DarkClan, the smallest fight sets us all on the offense."

Thunderstripe hit Rowanstar with his tail. "Yes, but no matter what, we know that they will be our allies when the time is right."

The roar of a monster almost drowned out Thunderstripe's last few words. Ghostwind glanced up and down the Thunderpath splayed out before them. LightClan's territory was on the other side, hidden somewhere among the bramble bushes and scarce trees.

"There aren't many monsters today," Rowanstar meowed. "Let's cross before another shows itself."

The group quickly raced across the Thunderpath. Ghostwind didn't like the feel of the hot, sticky, black ground on his paws. It was a relief when they reached the other side.

"I can smell their border scents," Cottonclaw said.

"Should we wait for a patrol to find us?" Thunderstripe wondered.

Rowanstar glanced around. "Yes. We made it just before sunhigh. We shouldn't have to wait long for one."

The five of them settled down side-by-side to wait. Rowanstar's tail twitched impatiently.

Ghostwind sighed in boredom and looked up at the sky. The wide expanse was a beautiful blue today, with only a few puffs of snowy white clouds. A bird fluttered overhead, but his stomach was full from his catch on their territory earlier. A gust of wind sent the leaves of the bramble bushes swaying.

"I hear pawsteps," Ashflower meowed. She turned her head slightly. "It's a border patrol. I can hear them thinking about remarking the border."

"Thank you, Ashflower," Rowanstar murmured.

Ghostwind's shoulders rippled as he stretched. He was beginning to grow impatient for the patrol to appear.

"They've smelled us," Ashflower whispered.

A few moments later, the patrol they'd been waiting for appeared between a few bramble bushes. A black tom was in the lead. He slowed the patrol with a flick of his tail when he saw Rowanstar and the others.

"Snarlpelt," Rowanstar meowed, acknowledging LightClan's deputy with a nod. "How is the prey running?"

"Very well, thank you," Snarlpelt answered. "I suppose you're here to speak to Duskstar?"

Rowanstar nodded.

Snarlpelt turned to the pretty, gray tabby she-cat apprentice with him and the other two LightClan warriors. "Mistpaw, could you please go fetch Duskstar? He should be in his den."

The she-cat nodded and dashed off.

"Mistpaw is one of our fastest apprentices. She shouldn't be too long," Snarlpelt said. He turned to Ghostwind, Cottonclaw, and Ashflower. "I see you've brought your kits."

"Yes," Rowanstar said. "They had their warrior ceremony yesterday. I thought it was time for them to see where LightClan's territory is."

Snarlpelt nodded. "Duskstar and Talonmist have good news, as well. Talonmist found out just last night that she is having kits again."

"That is wonderful news. Stormypelt is due to have our second litter in a few moons," Rowanstar said.

Ghostwind was getting dreadfully bored listening to all the gossip. He glanced at the two warriors with Snarlpelt. One was a gray and brown tom with light amber eyes. The other was a dark gray and brown mottled tom with yellow eyes. He thought their names might be Weedfur and Fangeye.

Snarlpelt's ears pricked. "Here comes Duskstar now."

The LightClan cats stepped aside as Duskstar padded up, following the swift-footed Mistpaw.

"Hello, Rowanstar! What are you doing this far from your territory?" Duskstar asked.

"I have something that I need to ask you about, Duskstar," Rowanstar replied. "It's about a rogue tom that has been stealing prey from ThunderClan. He knows how to use magick."

Duskstar's ears flattened against his head. "I understand why you came to me. We'll discuss this more in depth inside my den. Follow me."

Ghostwind felt a rush of curiosity. LightClan's camp would be the first rival Clan's camp he would get to see! His paws tingled with the excitement as they followed the LightClan cats through the bramble bushes.

Would Duskstar or any of his Clanmates know why the rogue tom knew magick? What if they didn't have an answer? What would they do then? Ghostwind shook his head at the thought. Rowanstar was the leader of ThunderClan, the destroyer of DarkClan, and the bringer of LightClan. He would know what to do.

* * *

**End of Chapter Two**


	5. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Warriors, but I do own the characters and plot created for this story. Please don't steal from me.

* * *

**Chapter 3**

_Ghostwind glanced around at the LightClan camp. Most of the perimeter was made by thick bramble bushes. One section of the perimeter_ was made from a large log, its sides worn smooth over time. Along the top of the log, tendrils of brambles had been placed for extra security. Ghostwind could hear mewling kits in the nursery, which was situated to the left of the log. The nursery was made by yet another bramble bush, and its walls were stuffed with twigs and pine needles. A small light brown she-cat with white paws came running out of another den made in a rather large holly bush, which Ghostwind assumed was the apprentices' den. He saw Tuskclaw, the gray-furred LightClan medicine cat, sitting outside his den with his black and white apprentice. The medicine cat's den was created from two logs. The larger log had fallen onto the other, creating a den underneath. Weeds, grass, and other plants had sprung up on and around the logs and helped to hide the entrance from plain view. There were more bramble tendrils draped all around it, as well. Ghostwind heard whispering and turned to see two black she-cats and a dark gray tom clustered in front of another holly bush den reinforced by bramble tendrils. A small black tom padded over to join them, a thrush dangling from his mouth. Other cats were spread out around the camp. Ghostwind could see two elders, a black tom and a gray she-cat, sitting outside a bramble bush at the very back of the camp.

When they entered the camp, all of the LightClan cats' heads turned in interest. Duskstar flicked his tail to turn their interest away, but his gesture didn't keep away the whispering. Cats began to bunch together to ask one another the reason behind ThunderClan cats visiting them.

Duskstar led them over to his den. There was a huge pile of rocks to the far left of the camp. A cave had been created by the rocks, and dried tendrils stripped of their brambles had been hung over the entrance.

"Snarlpelt. Weedfur. Stay outside. I don't want anyone entering unless I call for them," Duskstar meowed.

"Of course, Duskstar," Snarlpelt meowed.

Duskstar turned to Rowanstar. "Do you want to discuss this between you and me, or are you bringing your escort in as well?"

Rowanstar's yellow eyes glanced over the cats he'd brought with him. "Why don't we both bring our deputies in?"

Duskstar blinked and then nodded in agreement. "Fangeye, you can stand watch outside with Weedfur."

The dark gray and brown mottled tom nodded. "Yes, Duskstar."

Ghostwind watched the two leaders and their deputies disappear inside the den. The tendrils rustled as they slipped inside.

Weedfur looked at Ghostwind and his siblings. "If you are hungry, there may be a few things left in our fresh-kill pile. It's over there." He flicked his tail in the direction of the warriors' den. To the left of the warriors' den, Ghostwind could see a few limp bodies of prey in a pile beside a stump just large enough for an apprentice to stand on.

"Thank you," Cottonclaw meowed. "Let's go see what they have."

Ghostwind followed his brother. He still wasn't very hungry, but he supposed Cottonclaw must be. Cottonclaw sat down at the edge of the small pile. Ghostwind flicked his ears forward at the measly pile of prey.

"It looks like prey isn't running so well in LightClan," Ashflower meowed.

"Shh!" Cottonclaw hissed. "Try to be a little more discrete, Ashflower."

She shook her head at him. "What? Most of the LightClan cats are whispering to one another. It's not like I shouted."

A long-furred, silver and gray tom came padding over to them. His dark amber eyes were filled with curiosity. "Hello! I'm Badgerpaw!"

"Hello," Cottonclaw replied. "I'm Cottonclaw. This is my brother, Ghostwind, and our sister, Ashflower."

"Lightpaw was right! You are Rowanstar's kits!" Badgerpaw meowed, his amber eyes widening. He turned to look at the light brown she-cat apprentice Ghostwind had seen earlier.

The young she-cat walked over. "I told you they were Rowanstar's kits, Badgerpaw!"

"You said they were apprentices," Badgerpaw said. "But they're warriors!"

Her silver eyes turned to slits as she glared at Badgerpaw. "Pebblepaw was the one who told me they were apprentices."

"We had our warrior ceremony yesterday," Ashflower interrupted.

"Yes. That's probably why you didn't know," Cottonclaw added.

A gray she-cat with amber eyes walked over. "Badgerpaw! Lightpaw! You aren't bothering our guests, are you?" She flicked her tail at the two apprentices before turning to Cottonclaw, Ghostwind, and Ashflower. "I'm Needleclaw. I'm sorry about these two. They haven't been apprentices for very long."

"It's okay," Cottonclaw said. "They aren't bothering us."

"Rowanstar has come to discuss something with Duskstar, hasn't he?" Needleclaw wondered. "Everyone is worried." She swept her tail in an arch to indicate the entire Clan. "It's the first time Rowanstar has come since he helped form LightClan."

The three siblings glanced at each other. Ghostwind wasn't sure what to say. Would Rowanstar only speak to Duskstar and then leave, or would he need to speak to the entire Clan to get the information he was seeking?

"Rowanstar is here to speak to Duskstar, but I'm not certain whether we're allowed to say what the business is about," Cottonclaw meowed finally.

Needleclaw nodded. "That's a relief. Come on, you nosy apprentices."

The she-cat and the two apprentices walked away.

A few moments later, Fernstripe walked over with a black tom. "My Clan knows about the prophecy," Fernstripe meowed without hesitation. She glanced in the direction of Needleclaw and the apprentices. "That's probably why Badgerpaw and Lightpaw wanted to talk to you."

"When did you tell them?" Ghostwind asked.

Fernstripe's ears twisted back. "The morning after my warrior ceremony."

"We heard you say you had your warrior ceremony," the black tom meowed. "Doesn't that leave Tigerpaw to receive his warrior name before you can leave?"

"This is Reekfur, by the way," Fernstripe said.

Ghostwind licked at a patch of ruffled fur on his shoulders as Cottonclaw said, "Yes. We had our warrior ceremony yesterday. We're called Cottonclaw, Ghostwind, and Ashflower now."

"Ghostwind," Reekfur mewed thoughtfully. "I suppose the two parts of your name came from Ghostlight and Rowanwind?"

Ghostwind stopped licking his fur and looked up at the black LightClan tom. He hadn't thought about it, but the second half of his name was, indeed, the same as the second half of his father's warrior name, Rowanwind. He wasn't able to say anything in response because there was a rustle near Duskstar's den.

Everyone turned to watch Duskstar, Snarlpelt, Rowanstar, and Thunderstripe come padding out into the open. Duskstar and Rowanstar trotted over to one of the rocks that was part of the pile that made up Duskstar's den. It jutted out a few tail-lengths above the ground, making it a perfect spot for the LightClan leader to speak to his Clan.

"All members of LightClan, gather beneath the Stonepile for a Clan meeting!" Duskstar meowed, loud enough for everyone to hear.

Ghostwind followed his siblings over to sit beside Snarlpelt and Thunderstripe. Fernstripe and Reekfur came over and sat down near them. Ghostwind watched the Clan gather together. The two black she-cats, gray tom, and small black tom in front of the warriors' den came walking over. Tuskclaw and his apprentice walked over with a black she-cat and a slender, black tom. Other warriors came walking over in their small groups. One black tom came over with a black apprentice with a white spot on his chest and stomach. Ghostwind spotted Needleclaw leading Mistpaw, Badgerpaw, and Lightpaw over. The three apprentices ran ahead to sit beside their mentors. Two black queens came over from the nursery, each of them carrying a kit. One kit was completely black. The other was black but had some brown splotches that were just barely noticeable. Ghostwind noticed the sleeker black queen was round with the kits inside of her. He turned away to watch six elders waddling over from their den further back in the camp.

Once all of the cats were gathered, Duskstar waited for them to settle down. Many of them were whispering to each other in excitement.

"You're all wondering why Rowanstar has come to visit us, I'm sure," Duskstar started. Many of the LightClan cats nodded. "He has not brought good news, I'm afraid..."

"I don't think any of us were expecting good news!" a black tom shouted.

"Yes, of course, Rascalpelt," Duskstar meowed. "But this is bad news I'm sure none of us expected. We've heard about the rogues that took over ShadowClan's territory recently, and how ThunderClan helped to chase them out..."

"Are the rogues back?" the pregnant black queen shouted.

Duskstar sighed. "No, the rogues are not back. But one did not get chased away with the others. He's remained behind and has been stealing prey and attacking ThunderClan cats."

"What's that got to do with us?" a black she-cat with long fur shouted.

"For StarClan's sake!" Tuskclaw shouted, standing up. "Stop interrupting, and perhaps our leader can finish what he needs to say!"

"Thank you, Tuskclaw," Duskstar said with a nod to the medicine cat. "As I was saying, a rogue has remained behind. The reason Rowanstar came to us is that some of ThunderClan's warriors witnessed the tom use magick to become a bird and escape..."

LightClan erupted. The queens cried out in horror. Many of the toms hissed in anger. The apprentices, who hadn't been born during the war against DarkClan, all started shouting questions in confusion.

"Silence!" Duskstar roared, making the Clan go quiet. "I know it comes as quite a shock. It's hard for even me to believe. But is is true. Rowanstar is here to ask..."

"May I address them, Duskstar?" Rowanstar interrupted.

"Oh. Yes, of course," Duskstar meowed, stepping back.

Rowanstar stepped forward to the edge of the rock. His yellow eyes scanned the crowd. "I am here to ask if any of you can think of a way that the rogue could have learned magick. I'm afraid this rogue's friends know magick, as well. We need to know if, in the past, DarkClan told the secrets of magick to anyone outside of their Clan."

"Never!" Rascalpelt snarled.

Duskstar glared down at the black tom, who ducked his head in embarrassment.

"I mean, never," Rascalpelt said, softer than before. "You remember how much we hated light-demons...I mean, cats with light pelts. No DarkClan member would ever dare tell the secrets of magick to someone not accepted by the Clan."

Ghostwind saw movement out of the corner of his eye. He turned slightly to see Reekfur's shoulders tensing up. The tom's fur along his spine was bristling. Fernstripe stroked his shoulder with her tail-tip as the talk went on. Ghostwind wondered what had caused Reekfur such distress. Had it been something Rascalpelt had just said?

"I have an idea!" a raspy voice shouted from the crowd.

Heads turned to stare at the old, gray she-cat who had spoken up.

"Bittertongue?" Duskstar said, looking curiously at the elder she-cat.

The she-cat held her chin high as she looked around at the cats surrounding her. "Have we all forgotten the cats who remain faithful to our old beliefs? I wouldn't put it past Crusade to attempt to create a new DarkClan altogether!" The she-cat turned blazing, yellow eyes on a black tom with long fur, who cringed under her sharp gaze. "Sharptwig, what of your first mate, Gigantic, and your kits? Do you see them with us today? No! Gigantic has given Crusade life that he can manipulate into a new DarkClan! If Crusade wanted to tempt cats into joining him, all he would have to do is teach them magick! They'd flock to him like birds being fed by a Twoleg!"

"That's enough, Bittertongue," Duskstar said, putting a stop to her speech. "You're frightening Fleetfur's kits."

Ghostwind glanced over at the queen with the two kits. Both of her kits were staring at Bittertongue, their eyes wide with terror. Fleetfur wrapped her long-furred tail around her kits and glared at Bittertongue.

Ignoring the glares she was getting, Bittertongue went on. "They should be frightened! Crusade will want revenge! He knows where we are!" Bittertongue shouted. "They'll come back, but only when they are good and ready! Only when they know they are strong enough to defeat us!"

"Weedfur, take Bittertongue back to her den," Duskstar meowed softly.

The gray and brown tom escorted the still shouting elder to the back of the camp.

Ghostwind's paws tingled. He'd completely forgotten the stories the elders of ThunderClan had told him and his siblings about how, after Rowanwind had declared DarkClan as LightClan, some of the cats of the new lake Clan had left.

A silence swept through the camp. The silence in the camp was nearly unbearable. His ears were ringing after Bittertongue's fierce talk.

Finally, Rowanstar spoke. His words were just loud enough for everyone in the camp to hear, "She's right. DarkClan may well come back..."

Duskstar stopped him. "And ThunderClan will be the first Clan they go after, if they do return. Rowanstar, I fear for your safety. If the cats who refused to join LightClan do create another DarkClan, you will most certainly be their target."

Rowanstar shook his head. "This is not the place to discuss it, Duskstar." He looked out at the cats gathered beneath him and Duskstar. "I thank you for your help. Rest assured, we will eventually figure out how that rogue tom knows how to use magick. My warriors and I should be getting home."

The ginger leader jumped down from the rocks. He flicked his tail to indicate they were leaving. Cottonclaw and Ashflower followed Thunderstripe after Rowanstar, but Ghostwind paused and turned to Fernstripe. The she-cat still had her tail over Reekfur's shoulders.

"Fernstripe..." Ghostwind started to say, but the she-cat cut him off.

"If you really need to talk to me, I'll look for you in my dreams," she whispered. "You need to go home now, Ghostwind. Your father's visit has terrified my Clanmates."

Ghostwind flattened his ears against his head. "I'm sorry."

She shook her head. "It's not going to be our problem. Not now, anyway. Remember, we're leaving the moment we learn Tigerpaw has had his warrior ceremony."

He'd completely forgotten about the prophecy. Ghostwind shook his head sadly. Rowanstar shouted his name from near the camp entrance.

"You'd better go," Fernstripe whispered sadly.

Ghostwind meowed a quiet good-bye before before turning and padding over to where Rowanstar and his other Clanmates were waiting.

They'd come to LightClan seeking answers, but Ghostwind felt like they were leaving with even more questions that needed to be answered.

* * *

Once they reached home, Rowanstar told Ghostwind and his siblings not to say anything to anybody. He wanted to discuss what had happened in LightClan with his senior warriors. Their ThunderClan Clanmates gathered around, anxious to hear news about what had happened on their trip to LightClan. Rowanstar called out to Maggotstripe, Stormypelt, Gingerheart, and Rainfur to follow him and Thunderstripe into the forest to talk.

Ghostwind watched the group of cats leave the camp. He was suddenly surrounded by cats, who were all shouting different questions in unison. Ghostwind's neck fur raised and he hissed. The cats closest to him flattened their ears and backed away.

Cottonclaw glanced sternly at Ghostwind before shouting, "Rowanstar has asked us not to say anything, so please return to what you were doing!"

They all glanced at one another before padding away, grumbling under their breath or whispering anxiously to each other.

One she-cat did not move away. Smudgewing sat down beside Ghostwind and stroked his back with her tail.

"Are you okay?" she whispered, her green eyes filled with worry.

Ghostwind nodded. "The visit...didn't go so well."

Smudgewing sighed. "I was afraid it wouldn't. LightClan wouldn't dare admit if they'd been teaching rogues how to use magick."

Ghostwind glanced around. All of the other cats were out of earshot. "One of their members said that, as DarkClan, they would never have revealed the secrets of magick to anyone not accepted by the Clan..." He remembered how Reekfur had gotten tense when Rascalpelt had spoken. He shook the thought away. "But then an elderly she-cat started shouting..."

Ashflower bumped into Ghostwind. "I thought Rowanstar told us not to tell anybody what happened?" she hissed. "Oh, and if you're so curious about why Reekfur got so emotional, it's because Rascalpelt is his father. Reekfur and his sister, Boomflower, were born after the war with DarkClan, so they've been raised under the warrior code. Reekfur is resentful toward his father because Rascalpelt sometimes doesn't follow the warrior code."

Smudgewing looked completely confused.

"Go away, Ashflower," Ghostwind grumbled. "It's not like I was telling the whole Clan what happened."

His sister just shrugged her shoulders and walked away toward the fresh-kill pile.

Ghostwind shook his head. "Anyway, an elderly she-cat started shouting about how the DarkClan cats who refused to join LightClan are probably out for revenge. She seemed to think that they were trying to create a new DarkClan and were luring members by teaching them magick. Duskstar had to shut her up by sending her back to her den because she was scaring some of the kits."

Smudgewing gasped. "That sounds terrible, Ghostwind!" She pressed her nose to his cheek. "Those stories the elders told us about the war against DarkClan frighten me enough. I couldn't imagine having to go up against a new DarkClan!"

Ghostwind's neck fur bristled and his paws tingled. Was that it? Was this the war he'd been warned about? They were going to have to fight a new, stronger version of DarkClan? He shook his head to get the thought out of his head.

"It'll be okay, Smudgewing," he whispered, putting his tail over her shoulders. He wanted to say, "I'll protect you," but how could he promise something like that right now? He was leaving the moment that Tigerpaw received his warrior name! How in the world could he protect Smudgewing if he wasn't even here?

* * *

The next morning, Ghostwind was woken early by someone pressing their paws roughly into his shoulders. Ashflower shouted in his ears. "Wake up! Wake up!"

He growled and clawed at her. "It's too early, Ashflower!"

She spat at him. "Tigerflame and Russetfrost are here!"

"_Who_?" Ghostwind rolled to his paws.

Ashflower shook her head. "They had their warrior ceremony last night. You know what that means, don't you?"

Ghostwind brushed by her and out into the camp. The sun was barely up, so the shadows were deep and dark throughout the camp. He scanned the nearly empty camp and saw Rowanstar seated beneath the Highledge with Thunderstripe and Cottonclaw. Two cats, one ginger and one white and ginger, were seated in front of ThunderClan's leader.

"Glad you could join us," Rowanstar meowed as Ghostwind padded over, Ashflower a few paces behind him. "We have visitors."

"I can see that," Ghostwind grumbled.

Tigerflame turned and looked at Ghostwind. "ShadowClan knows about the prophecy now. Crimsonstar wants us to leave as soon as possible."

Ghostwind twisted his ears back. "And when would that be?"

"Right now," Tigerflame replied.

Ashflower spat. "Shouldn't we wait until tonight? We can have our medicine cats give us traveling herbs, and then we can meet at the island..."

Tigerflame's amber eyes glowed in the brightening morning sunlight. "Don't you think we've waited long enough?"

Russetfrost touched his brother's shoulder with his tail-tip. "What my brother is trying to say is that we have waited long enough and that it would be best if we left now. If we wait another day, we may be too late."

Ashflower looked at Rowanstar. "You agree with him." It wasn't a question.

Rowanstar nodded. "Your destiny won't wait forever. SkyClan needs you."

Ghostwind lashed his tail. "Okay. Tigerflame, take Russetfrost and head for RiverClan. You can go and get Eaglefeather and Swanpool. Once we're done with our good-byes, we'll head to WindClan and get Moonmist. Meet us near the island, and then we'll go get Fernstripe."

Tigerflame and his brother nodded. They turned and left the camp without another word. Ghostwind watched them disappear before he turned to his sister. "Ashflower, go wake Ravenheart. She can prepare us some traveling herbs."

Ashflower dashed away toward the medicine cat's den.

Ghostwind finally turned to his father and brother. "I guess...you should probably call a Clan meeting. So we can, you know, say good-bye..."

Rowanstar nodded. He turned and began to climb up toward the Highledge.

Cottonclaw looked at Ghostwind with sadness in his green eyes. "I knew this day was coming, but that doesn't make it any easier."

"You're still sure you won't come with us?" Ghostwind whispered.

His brother shook his head. "You'll travel easier with less cats. I'd only make it harder to get to your destination."

Ghostwind sighed. He'd be leaving soon, and he didn't want to argue with his brother. He looked up just as Rowanstar reached the Highledge.

"All cats old enough to catch their own food, gather beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" Rowanstar's strong voice rang throughout the camp.

Ghostwind watched warriors and apprentices, queens and kits come out of their dens. The elders hobbled over, Thornfur leading Poppyflower with his tail on her shoulder, and Granitetail in the lead. Maggotstripe appeared with Ashflower, but Ravenheart remained hidden. Ghostwind guessed she was making their traveling herbs.

His heart ached as he watched his Clanmates gather around him. This would be the last time he saw all of them until he returned. Thunderstripe went and sat down beside Gingerheart and Stormypelt. Maggotstripe seated herself with Ashflower beside her. Whiskerheart spotted his sister with Ashflower and went over to sit with them. Pebbletail sat with Stonepaw, who was looking around sleepily. Stormtail was trying to get Shimmerpaw to quiet down and sit still. The young she-cat apprentice was kneading the ground with her paws in her excitement. Oakpelt and Rainfur sat down on either side of Lightdew. They were the three oldest warriors, but there was still enough strength and vitality left in them to continue their duties as warriors for another few seasons. Silvermoon and Mistmeadow sat down together, their tails entwined. Ghostwind saw Silvermoon look at Ashflower with a proud look in his sapphire blue eyes. Did he guess what this meeting was about? Cedarspirit, his old mentor, caught Ghostwind's eye as he sat down beside his sister, Cloverpelt, and her mate, Darkeye. Darkeye and Cloverpelt's kits, Ebonykit and Tawnykit, attempted to pounce on their uncle's tail, but he was too quick for them. Ghostwind could hear Cedarspirit and Darkeye chuckling as Cloverpelt scolded the kits. Nimbleclaw, who was seated beside Palefur and Pureheart, glared at her brother, Sootpelt, when he tried to sit next to her. Sootpelt's ears flattened against his head, but they perked up again when he heard Coldfur calling him over to sit with him at the back of the group of gathered cats. Granitetail's daughters, Summerflower, Springfoot, Skunkpelt, and Smudgewing, all sat next to each other. Forestclaw inched his way between Summerflower and Springfoot so that he could speak to Springfoot. Meadowbreeze left her brother, Shadeclaw, so that she could sit beside Cottonclaw. Shadeclaw glanced around before choosing to sit near Palefur. The elders all gathered together toward the back of the group. Granitetail glanced at Thornfur as he helped the blind Poppyflower to sit down. Ghostwind heard Twigleaf grumbling about being woken so early in the morning as she sat down beside her sister, Quickpelt. Wetpelt gave a good-natured purr as she flicked her tail at the grumpy Twigleaf.

Rowanstar waited for everyone to settle down before he began to speak. "Two of ShadowClan's newest warriors were just here. Tigerflame and Russetfrost have been given their warrior names. This means that Ghostwind and Ashflower can now leave to go and fulfill their prophecy with the other chosen cats. To aide them in case of injury, Ravenheart has agreed to go with them. They will be leaving this morning, so take a few moments to say good-bye and good luck to them before they leave."

The cats came forward and, one by one, said good-bye and good luck to Ghostwind and Ashflower. Ghostwind nodded to each cat. Some of them touched his nose or cheek with their nose in a sign of farewell. Ravenheart came out with two bundles of herbs in her mouth. The cats all turned to say good-bye to her, as well.

Cottonclaw stepped forward to stand between Ghostwind and Ashflower. "Meadowbreeze and I want to walk with you as far as the border with WindClan." Meadowbreeze was standing a little behind him, looking sad.

"So do I," Smudgewing said as she walked toward them.

"Do you mind if I tag along?" Whiskerheart asked. "Just until the end of our territory."

"Of course, Whiskerheart!" Ashflower purred.

Rowanstar walked over. "I wish I could escort you to the edge of our territory, but Thunderstripe and I need to discuss patrols. It sounds like you've already got an escort, anyway."

"We understand, Rowanstar," Ghostwind meowed. He touched noses with his father. "We'll be back home before you know it."

"Good-bye, Ghostwind, and good luck. You'll need it," Rowanstar said.

Ashflower rubbed her nose along her father's cheek. "Good-bye. Try not to worry about us. We'll be okay."

"I know," Rowanstar meowed. "But I can't help worrying. You're going to be so far away."

Ghostwind stood. "We'd better get going. We still need to go get Moonmist before we can go meet the ShadowClan and RiverClan cats."

Stormypelt came over. Her belly was swelling with the kits growing inside her. Ghostwind wondered if she would have the kits by the time they came back home. His mother's light blue eyes were filled with tears. "Good luck, my kits. Please be careful."

"May StarClan watch over your every step and bring you home safely," Rowanstar said.

"Good-bye!" Ghostwind and Ashflower meowed.

They headed for the entrance of the camp. Cottonclaw, Meadowbreeze, Smudgewing, and Whiskerheart followed close behind them. Before they slipped through the tunnel, Ghostwind and Ashflower turned and looked back at their Clanmates one last time.

Ghostwind's paws tingled. Visions flashed in the back of his mind. The scenes were hard to make out, but he could hear cats fighting fiercely. Their yowls and cries echoed in his mind. Was that what he had to look forward to when they finally came home? He desperately wanted to warn Rowanstar of the coming war against an unknown enemy, but Firestar had forbid it for some reason.

Ashflower looked at him. "We'll worry about that when we come home, Ghostwind. Right now, we need to go. SkyClan needs our help."

His heart filled with sorrow, Ghostwind wrenched his eyes from the worried expressions on the faces of his Clanmates. Ashflower was right. SkyClan needed their help, and the faster they got there, the faster they could help them and come home.

Leading their escort, Ghostwind and Ashflower turned their backs on ThunderClan and slipped through the tunnel.

* * *

**End of Chapter Three**

* * *

**Author's Notes:** Yay! They're finally leaving! Now we can get to the really exciting part of this adventure!


	6. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Warriors, but I do own the characters and plot created for this story. Please don't steal them.

**Author's Notes:** I'm having so much fun writing this story! I can't believe I'm already at 28 pages! Amazing!

Anyway, I really wanted to mention to all my readers that I now have a whole website dedicated to this series! It's called **Warriors Descended**, and you can find the link to it on my profile page! It has illustrations of the series (drawn by me!), discussion forums, a page full of links to fun cat-related games and such, and a guestbook that you can sign!

* * *

**Chapter 4**

_As they walked through the forest, Ghostwind looked around. There was no way to tell how long it would be before he was back home_, hunting in these familiar trees. He watched a few birds swoop overhead. A squirrel ran past, its cheeks larger than normal because of the nuts it was collecting. His stomach growled when he caught the scent of a mouse in the leaves.

Ashflower turned to Ghostwind. "We should stop and get something to eat. We won't be able to catch anything until we've gotten past LightClan's territory."

Ravenheart dropped the herbs in her mouth. "Why not eat these now?"

Ghostwind shook his head. "We'll catch something now and then eat the herbs once we get past LightClan." He looked at the cats who made up their escort. "You must be hungry, so you can go ahead and hunt. If you catch anything extra, you can take it back to camp."

They nodded and slipped away into the underbrush of the forest.

"I don't want something happening to those herbs, so you can stay here, Ravenheart. I'll catch us something we can share," Ashflower meowed.

"That's okay," Ravenheart said. "I've already eaten my herbs, so you don't need to catch me anything."

Ghostwind left the two she-cats and followed the mouse trail that he'd scented. It led toward the right. He found the mouse sitting on a tree root that was sticking out of the dirt. The tiny mouse was washing its face and didn't notice Ghostwind as he creeped up behind it. Within moments, he had it pinned beneath his paws. The mouse was so tiny that it took him only a few bites before he was done. He licked the last scraps from his lips before heading back to the spot where he'd left the others.

Ravenheart was lying in the leaves, her front paws on either side of the herbs. Cottonclaw and Meadowbreeze were sharing a squirrel. Whiskerheart came walking up with two mice dangling from his teeth. Ashflower came bounding over with a chaffinch. Smudgewing was the last to return, a large thrush bouncing against her legs as it hung from her mouth by one wing.

"What a great catch, Smudgewing!" Ghostwind purred as she dropped it.

Her green eyes glowed proudly. "It put up a good fight, too. I'm going to bring it back to camp. The elders and queens can use a good meal."

Whiskerheart pushed one of his mice toward Smudgewing. "Then you can have this one. It isn't very big, so it's no use bringing it back to camp."

"Thanks, Whiskerheart!" Smudgewing said, hooking a claw in the mouse so she could drag it over to a spot beside Ghostwind.

"Didn't you catch anything, Ghostwind?" Ashflower wondered, looking up from her chaffinch. A few feathers were stuck to her face.

"You look like you're turning into a bird, Ashflower," Whiskerheart laughed as he gently swiped the feathers from Ashflower's mouth.

The comment made Ghostwind think about the rogue tom who had escaped by turning into a magpie. Would ThunderClan be okay with that vicious tom lurking in the woods? Ashflower's glare made him push the thought away. He needed to focus on what was ahead, not what they would be leaving behind.

"So, did you catch anything?" Ashflower asked her brother.

"Yeah, but it was so scrawny I ate it in a couple of bites," Ghostwind replied.

Smudgewing looked up from her mouse. "Is that going to be enough for you?"

"Yes," Ghostwind said. "It will hold me until we get beyond LightClan's territory. Once we get by there, Ashflower and I will eat the herbs Ravenheart has brought."

"Sounds like a good plan," Whiskerheart mewed.

As the others finished up their meals, Ghostwind slowly washed his face and ears with his paws. It wasn't long before they were all done. Before they set off once more, Smudgewing dug a whole and hid her large thrush beneath the dirt and leaves.

The group headed toward the WindClan border. Ghostwind wished that the other ThunderClan cats were coming. He wasn't looking forward to going onto WindClan's territory with only his sister standing beside him.

_Don't worry, Ghostwind. Everything will be okay_, Ashflower's voice said in his head.

_I wish I was as optimistic as you_, Ghostwind grumbled back at her.

It seemed to take only a heartbeat to reach the WindClan border. Ghostwind knew that it was time to say good-bye to his Clanmates that would be staying behind. This was going to be one of the hardest things he had ever done.

Whiskerheart and Meadowbreeze sat down beside Ashflower to say good-bye to her. Smudgewing went to touch noses with Ravenheart. Cottonclaw sat down beside Ghostwind.

"So, the time has finally come," Cottonclaw meowed.

Ghostwind nodded.

"Stay strong, Ghostwind. Ashflower still acts like an apprentice sometimes. She'll need you now more than ever," Cottonclaw said. "Try not to let her know when you're scared."

Ghostwind snorted. "She can read thoughts, Cottonclaw. How am I supposed to do that?"

His brother chuckled. "Just try, Ghostwind." Cottonclaw ran his tail down Ghostwind's back. "I hope that StarClan watches over you and helps to guide your paws. I trust that you and the other chosen cats will be able to help SkyClan."

"Thank you, Cottonclaw," Ghostwind whispered. "I'm going to miss you."

Cottonclaw sighed. "Not as much as I'll miss you. I'm not going to have anyone to watch over once you've gone. Not until Stormypelt has her second litter, anyway."

A flash of the future flared in the back of Ghostwind's mind. It was only a brief glimpse of the future, but Ghostwind knew what it meant.

"No, you'll certainly have someone," Ghostwind said with a laugh.

Cottonclaw's ears perked up. "What do you mean by that?"

"You'll see, Cottonclaw," Ghostwind replied as Whiskerheart and Meadowbreeze came over to say their good-byes. Smudgewing went over to Ashflower.

Cottonclaw shook his head and went over to Ravenheart to say good-bye to her.

"Good luck, Ghostwind!" Meadowbreeze meowed, pressing her nose to his cheek. "Cottonclaw really loves you and Ashflower, so please come home safe. I couldn't stand to see Cottonclaw hurt..."

"What a wonderful way to be optimistic, Meadowbreeze," Whiskerheart said. He flicked his tail at her before looking at Ghostwind. "She-cats! They're always so emotional."

Ghostwind laughed.

"I know that you'll come back safely," Whiskerheart said. "You're the son of Rowanstar. You're the chosen ThunderClan cat in a huge prophecy." He glanced at Ashflower. "But that won't help you if you let something happen to Ashflower. I'll shred you to pieces."

"What a wonderful way to keep Ghostwind from coming home at all, Whiskerheart!" Meadowbreeze spat.

"Oh, he knows what I mean," Whiskerheart said, hitting Ghostwind playfully with his tail. "Okay, time to go say good-bye to our medicine cat apprentice!"

Ghostwind watched Smudgewing walk over. Her dark green eyes were filled with sorrow. He couldn't believe he was causing her so much pain and leaving her behind when he knew there was so much danger.

"I wish you could go with me," Ghostwind whispered, his voice choking.

"Oh, Ghostwind, I would if I could. But you have so many cats going with you already, and my place is with the Clan," Smudgewing said. "ThunderClan can't afford another young, strong warrior taking off to follow a prophecy."

"I know that," Ghostwind sighed. "But I'm going to miss you so much."

"I'll miss you, too," Smudgewing said, tucking her nose under his chin. "I'll pray to StarClan for your safety every moment that I can."

Ghostwind purred. It was nice to know that she would be thinking about him. "I don't want you worrying about me too much, though. You can't be distracted from caring for the Clan. The elders, queens, and kits need you to feed them and protect them."

"I'll be the best hunter and fighter ThunderClan has ever seen while you're away!" Smudgewing purred. "You can count on me to make sure nothing happens to our Clan, so that there's a Clan you can come back to."

"I love you, Smudgewing," Ghostwind whispered, his chest hurting with his emotions.

"I love you, too, Ghostwind," Smudgewing replied. She licked his cheek. "May StarClan watch over you and light your path. I just know that you'll fulfill the prophecy and come home. Nothing could ever get in your way."

Ghostwind touched his nose to hers. "I won't ever give up, until I'm back home and hunting beside you again."

"Okay! Enough with the mushy stuff!" Ashflower called. "It's time to go."

Ghostwind licked Smudgewing's cheek one last time before he padded over to Ashflower and Ravenheart. They crossed over the WindClan border and went a few fox lengths before turning back to look at the cats who had escorted them this far.

Cottonclaw and Meadowbreeze had their tails entwined together. Whiskerheart had his tail draped over Smudgewing's shoulder. The white she-cat had her head held high, but Ghostwind knew that her mind must be spinning with emotions.

"We'll be back," Ghostwind whispered. "I promise."

With one last look at their loved ones, Ghostwind, Ashflower, and Ravenheart turned around and walked away.

* * *

The moment that Ghostwind, Ashflower, and Ravenheart were out of sight, Smudgewing broke down. Cottonclaw turned to see the she-cat had slumped to the floor. Her shoulders shook with her sobs. Whiskerheart gave Cottonclaw and Meadowbreeze a panicked look. It was obvious he didn't know what to do with a sobbing she-cat.

Meadowbreeze left Cottonclaw's side and pressed her nose into Smudgewing's neck. "Shhhh, Smudgewing. Everything will be okay. It's going to be okay. Shhhh."

Whiskerheart padded over to sit down beside Cottonclaw. "I didn't realize how much Ghostwind's leaving was affecting Smudgewing."

"He chose a strong cat to fall in love with," Cottonclaw replied. "She was able to keep her emotions hidden from everybody. Well, except maybe Ashflower."

Whiskerheart's ears twisted around. "Yeah. Ashflower's an extraordinary she-cat."

Cottonclaw laughed. "Yes. You fell for a strong she-cat, as well."

"Fell for?" Whiskerheart flicked his tail innocently. "I don't know what you mean."

With a snort, Cottonclaw hit Whiskerheart with his tail. "You know exactly what I mean. Ghostwind and I both noticed your interest in our sister. We wouldn't be very good big brothers if we hadn't."

"Very perceptive of you," Whiskerheart mumbled. "Does anybody else know?"

"I'm sure most of ThunderClan has talked about it at one point or another," Cottonclaw chuckled. "You might have tried to hide it, but you didn't really succeed."

"Could you two stop chattering away like squirrels?" Meadowbreeze called. "Come on, Smudgewing. Let's go for a walk. Maybe if we go hunt, it will make you feel better."

Meadowbreeze led the emotional white she-cat into the forest.

"Looks like you've got a pawful with Meadowbreeze," Whiskerheart commented.

"Yes," Cottonclaw said. "But it doesn't make me love her any less."

The two toms padded off after the two she-cats.

Cottonclaw didn't look back once.

* * *

"Do you think we should find a patrol?" Ravenheart wondered, her voice muffled as she spoke through the herbs in her mouth.

"It couldn't hurt to look for one," Ghostwind said. "We might be lucky and come across the dawn patrol. It is early enough."

"Yeah, I don't feel like getting into a scuffle this early in the morning," Ashflower said with a quick yawn. She paused and twisted her ears forward. "I can smell WindClan cats." She squinted into the tall grasses nearby. "I can hear their thoughts. They aren't too far ahead of us. We should be able to catch up with them."

"Lead the way," Ghostwind said.

Ashflower took off in a trot. Ghostwind and Ravenheart followed behind her. They wound through the tall grasses and further along the WindClan border. The shore of the lake never left their sight unless they had to slip around a bush.

"ThunderClan!" a voice shouted.

There was a yowl and a small, brown and dark gray mottled tom came scrambling out of the grass. Behind him leaped a white she-cat with her neck fur ruffled and her tail fluffed up. Behind them appeared a dark gray tom apprentice and a black and white she-cat apprentice.

"What are you doing here, ThunderClan cats?" the white she-cat hissed. "Are you here to steal prey, like those thieving RiverClan cats?"

The mottled brown and gray tom sat up. "Cloudpool, calm down. Don't you recognize them? It's Ghostpaw and Ashpaw, two of Rowanstar's kits! And that's Ravenheart, ThunderClan's medicine cat apprentice."

The she-cat's fur began to flatten, but her light amber eyes remained squinted suspiciously. "If they are such special apprentices, Brownclaw, what are they doing in WindClan?" she asked, speaking to the brown and gray tom.

Brownclaw and Cloudpool! Ghostwind recognized them as his aunt and uncle. Brownclaw was Stormypelt's brother. They had been born to Francis and Lola, two kittypets who lived in the Twolegplace in the distance. Brownclaw and Stormypelt had other siblings that had joined Clans, as well. Smokefrost, who Ghostwind and Ashflower had seen on their way to LightClan's territory with Rowanstar and Thunderstripe, lived in WindClan with Brownclaw. Willowsky, their sister, lived in RiverClan. Brownclaw and Cloudpool were the father and mother of Moonmist.

"We aren't apprentices!" Ghostwind replied. "We had our warrior ceremony, and we're known as Ghostwind and Ashflower now."

Brownclaw purred. "Well, congratulations! What of Cottonpaw? I assume he received his warrior name, as well?"

"Yes," Ashflower meowed. "He's Cottonclaw now."

"That's so great!" Brownclaw meowed.

"Brownclaw!" Cloudpool whispered.

"Oh, yes. Right," Brownclaw shook his head. "What are you doing on our territory?"

"We're here to get Moonmist," Ghostwind answered. "Tigerpaw had his warrior ceremony, so it's time we left to fulfill the prophecy to save SkyClan."

Cloudpool gasped. "Oh, no! So soon? But..."

Brownclaw touched his mate's shoulder with his tail-tip. "It's okay, Cloudpool. You know as well as I do how excited Moonmist is about this prophecy. It is is her destiny, and we cannot stand in her way."

Cloudpool nodded. "I'll send Lilypaw to find her." The white she-cat turned to the black and white she-cat apprentice seated behind them. "Will you go and bring Moonmist, please?"

Brownclaw turned to look at the dark gray tom apprentice. "Rockpaw, go with her and tell Graystar that Moonmist is leaving. I'm sure she'll want to say good-bye to the Clan."

The two apprentices scurried away.

"So, you're taking our daughter away," Brownclaw said. He gave a heavy sigh. "We knew that this day would come when Moonmist told the whole Clan about the prophecy."

"I didn't think it would come so soon," Cloudpool said, her voice thick.

"Belive me, we would much rather stay here and protect our Clans," Ghostwind said. "But StarClan has chosen us to go and find SkyClan because they need our help."

Brownclaw nodded. "Why is Cottonclaw staying behind? I know that the three of you have always been inseparable."

"He thinks he would be more help at home," Ashflower said.

"Moonmist says that all of the chosen cats have strange abilities," Cloudpool said. "She showed us how she can make the wind move. She didn't tell us yours, though."

"I can see the past, present, and future," Ghostwind replied. "Among other things."

"You have more than one strange ability?" Brownclaw blinked.

Ghostwind nodded. "I can see into the dreams of other cats, like my ancestor, Jayfeather, and understand magick tongue, like my father."

"You are a very special cat, Ghostwind," Brownclaw said. He bowed his head. "We wish you the best of luck on your journey. May StarClan watch over you the best that they can."

Cloudpool stared hard to Ghostwind. "And make sure nothing happens to Moonmist. She can be...energetic and overly enthusiastic at times. It can get her into trouble."

"I'll do my best," Ghostwind said. _Why does everyone keeps asking me to watch over everybody else?_ he thought.

_Because you're so special_! Ashflower said.

Brownclaw turned. "I think she's coming."

A few moments later, Moonmist stepped out of the grass. A gray tom and a brown and tan tom stepped out with her. It was Graystar, WindClan's leader, and a cat that Ghostwind didn't recognize. Ghostwind guessed Graystar had come to say his own farewells to them all, and the brown and tan tom was Mudtalon, Moonmist's brother.

"Graystar!" Brownclaw meowed.

Graystar flicked an ear at the warrior, but his eyes remained on Ghostwind. "Ghostwind, can we speak in private before you go? Moonmist can say good-bye to her family."

"Oh. Yeah. Sure," Ghostwind said, taken by surprise.

He followed the gray leader a few fox lengths from the other cats. There was a tired look in Graystar's amber eyes that worried Ghostwind.

"What's the matter, Graystar?" Ghostwind wondered.

"I fear for my Clan, Ghostwind," Graystar said. "I'm not getting any younger. I still have eight lives left, but things are getting tough. Something is wrong in RiverClan. They have been stealing prey more and more lately. I didn't bring it up last Gathering because it had only happened once. But since then...my warriors come back from patrols every day with news that fresh RiverClan scent has been found on our territory. I've demanded answers from RiverClan cats that we catch, and I demand a meeting with Featherstar, but every time I'm turned down."

"Graystar, I don't understand. Why are you telling me this?" Ghostwind shook his head.

"You're a very special cat, Ghostwind. I thought...you might know what is going on in RiverClan," Graystar said.

Ghostwind couldn't believe this. WindClan's leader was turning to him with questions about a Clan that didn't even neighbor is own territory!

"Graystar, I'm not sure what to say," Ghostwind said. "How could you think that I would know anything about what's going on in RiverClan? They live across the lake from my territory!"

Graystar's amber eyes brightened. "Moonmist told me that you can see the past, present, and future. Is there no way for you to look into RiverClan's past or present or future to try and determine what is going on? If I can't figure out what's going on in RiverClan by the night before the next Gathering, my Clan wants me to declare war against RiverClan!"

Ghostwind felt his stomach slump into his paws. No! This couldn't be the war that Firestar had warned him not to tell Rowanstar about, could it? Ghostwind shook his head. It couldn't be. Graystar had just given him a way to provent the war that seemed imminent.

He closed his eyes and thought about RiverClan's territory. He'd been there before when he'd walked in Eaglefeather's dreams. The flashes started.

A silver she-cat with dark gray spots stood over the lifeless body of a long-furred, gray she-cat. Blossomfur and Featherstar, the RiverClan medicine cat and leader! A brown and dark brown tom stood near Blossomfur, his silver eyes dull with sorrow. The leader gasped for air as her amber eyes opened again. The medicine cat's voice sounded in his ears, "She has one life left..."

Now he could see Blossomfur and a pretty, silver she-cat with a black striped tail hovering over a brown tabby tom kit. He thought that the silver she-cat had to be Heatherpaw, Blossomfur's apprentice. The eyes and nose of the tiny kit were streaming and glistening in a shaft of sunlight in the den. Their attention was shifted when a cream tom elder with brown stripes stumbled into the den, his shoulders shaking with his coughs. His nose and eyes were streaming like the kit's.

"Sit him with Splinterclaw," Blossomfur said, sounding tired.

The silver she-cat led the elder over to a nest where a gray tom with a white chest was lying, his eyes tightly shut as the corners of them seeped. It was the first time Ghostwind could see the entire den. Nest after nest was filled with cats coughing, some weakly and others more violently. All of their eyes and noses were streaming.

Ghostwind's eyes flared open. His breath came in gasps. Graystar stared at him with terror in his amber eyes.

"What is it, Ghostwind? What did you see?" Graystar whispered hoarsely.

"Greencough!" Ghostwind said. "There's greencough in RiverClan!"

* * *

Ghostwind's heart felt even heavier now. Graystar had promised to tell Rowanstar, Crimsonstar, and Duskstar what was going on. He'd been guaranteed that WindClan would gather as much catmint as they could to help RiverClan get rid of the infection that had spread so badly through the Clan. Despite this tragic discovery, Ghostwind and the others still had to leave.

"I can't believe it!" Moonmist said as they trudged onward along the lakeshore, heading for the log bridge to the island, where they were supposed to meet Tigerflame, Russetfrost, Eaglefeather, and Swanpool. "How could Eaglefeather and Swanpool not say anything to us?"

"They could have infected us!" Ravenheart said around the herbs. "We were in danger of getting the infection and taking it back to our Clans every time we met with them!"

"Should we stay home? Just until the infection is gone?" Moonmist wondered.

"No! We're already on our way! We can't go back now," Ghostwind said roughly, causing Moonmist to flinch. "Nothing is going to stop us now from leaving so we can fulfill the prophecy. Not even greencough in one of our Clans!"

"But I'm sure RiverClan really needs Eaglefeather and Swanpool!" Moonmist meowed. "You said that you saw a lot of cats in Blossomfur's den!"

"I don't know if I was seeing the past, present, or future, Moonmist," Ghostwind snapped. "I think it was the past or present because RiverClan wouldn't be stealing prey now if that was happening in the future. We can't worry about it. The Clans will take care of each other while we're gone."

"Ghostwind," Ashflower said. "This is upsetting you more than you're letting on."

"Stay out of my head, Ashflower!" Ghostwind snarled. "We voted that Eaglefeather and I would be the leaders of this journey. Eaglefeather isn't with us right now to say otherwise, so we're going to continue going!"

The she-cats fell silent, and the rest of the way to the log bridge was in silence.

When the log bridge came into view, they could see Tigerflame, Russetfrost, Eaglefeather, and Swanpool waiting for them.

"Why didn't you say anything, Eaglefeather?" Ghostwind shouted, running faster.

Eaglefeather dodged out of the way as Ghostwind slashed at his face. "Ghostwind! What are you talking about?"

"RiverClan is full of greencough!" Ghostwind hissed. "Why didn't you tell us?"

Eaglefeather's ears flattened. "How did..." His eyes narrowed. "Have you been spying on RiverClan?"

Tigerflame hissed angrily. "No wonder that patrol told us we couldn't go find you ourselves! They were trying to keep us away from your camp and finding it filled with sick cats!"

Eaglefeather spat. "Stay out of it, Tigerflame!"

"Is that why RiverClan's been stealing prey?" Tigerflame clawed at Eaglefeather's flank. "Every time you and your Clanmates set a paw across our border, you could have been contaminating oure territory with the sickness!"

Swanpool hissed at Tigerflame. "Don't go blaming all of this on my brother! Featherstar was the one who told us to hunt on your territory and WindClan's!"

"She lost a life to the sickness," Ghostwind growled. "Didn't it cross any of your minds, even for a second, to ask for help? We have catmint! ShadowClan has catmint! WindClan and LightClan have catmint! If you'd told us how bad the sickness was spreading, we would have helped! If all of the other Clans had pitched in, we could have helped you and kept our own stores of catmint from getting too low!"

"Stop!" Ashflower screamed, stopping everyone cold. Her eyes were ablaze with anger. "Ghostwind, what happened to not worrying about it and just leaving? StarClan is counting on us to save SkyClan! And we can't save them if we're standing around here bickering about this!"

Moonmist nodded quickly. "We need to get going. The sun is already up above the trees. We've wasted enough time. We still have to get Fernstripe!"

Ghostwind licked flat a ruffled patch of fur on his chest. "They're both right. It's time to leave. We can fight about this when we come home...it it's still a problem then."

Pelts still ruffled and risen angers still steaming, Ghostwind and Eaglefeather led the group of cats toward LightClan's territory. It wouldn't be long before Fernstripe joined them. And then, they would be on their way to finding SkyClan and fulfilling the first part of the prophecy.

_And what then? What about the other parts of the prophecy_? Ghostwind thought as they came to the Thunderpath that blocked their path to LightClan.

_Don't think that, Ghostwind. We have to take the prophecy one step at a time_, Ashflower's voice responded to his question.

Yes. One step at a time.

Ghostwind looked up and down the Thunderpath and took one step forward...

* * *

**End of Chapter Four**

* * *


	7. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Warriors, but I do own the characters and plot created for this story. Please don't steal from me.

**Author's Note:** This chapter has been done for a while, but I lost interest in the story for a little bit. Now I'm back (mostly) and decided to upload the latest chapter. Chapter 6 is getting written, but I'm having a bit of trouble concentrating on it. It's slow, but at least something is getting done!

* * *

**Chapter 5**

"Stop right there!" a rough voice shouted.

Two black toms and a gray she-cat appeared. Ghostwind recognized Rascalpelt and his son, Reekfur. He didn't know the name of the gray she-cat, though.

"Ghostwind!" Reekfur said.

Rascalpelt's yellow eyes narrowed. "What are you doing here? Have you come to accuse us again of teaching that rogue how to use magick?"

"No," Ghostwind replied. "We're here to get Fernstripe."

Reekfur's eyes dulled.

"Why do you need Fernstripe?" Rascalpelt demanded.

The gray she-cat bumped her shoulder into Rascalpelt. "Fernstripe is part of a prophecy, remember? They must be leaving to go and do what StarClan has asked of them."

"She's right," Ghostwind said.

Rascalpelt snorted. "Thistleleg, since we don't have an apprentice with us, why don't you go and fetch Fernstripe?"

The gray she-cat grunted. "Reekfur is younger and much faster than I am. Why not send him?"

"I'd rather stay here and escort Fernstripe and the rest of them to the edge of our territory," Reekfur meowed. "You understand?"

Thistleleg's light brown eyes softened. "Of course, Reekfur. Fernstripe will want to say good-bye to the rest of the Clan, so we might be just a little while."

"That's okay," Rascalpelt meowed. "Tell Fernstripe to take her time."

"We're actually in a hurry," Eaglefeather spoke up. "We want to get as far as we can today. There's no telling what sort of obstacles we're going to encounter, and we want to get to SkyClan's territory as soon as we possibly can."

"Okay. I'll mention that to Fernstripe," Thistleleg said. "Good luck on your journey."

"Thank you," Ghostwind said.

The gray she-cat turned and slipped away into the bushes.

A silence fell over the cats. Ghostwind noticed Rascalpelt unsheathing and sheathing his claws. For some reason, the LightClan tom looked agitated. Was he upset that Fernstripe was allying herself with them?

"Okay, she's far enough away," Rascalpelt said. "Reekfur, you can take the she-cats. I've got more fighting experience, so I'll fight the toms..."

"What?" Reekfur yelped.

"You seriously think that we can allow Fernstripe to go off with these cats? They're chasing a dream! StarClan doesn't exist. The only ones who watch over us are ourselves!" Rascalpelt hissed. "You're my son, Reekfur, so you must stand behind me!"

Reekfur's ears flattened. "I knew it! I knew you never believed in the warrior code! What was your reason for staying, Rascalpelt? Why didn't you leave with Crusade and the others?"

"My name is Rascal, not Rascalpelt!" Reekfur's father snarled. He turned and leaped on Ravenheart, flattening her to the ground. The herbs fell from her mouth and scattered over the ground.

Ravenheart gave a screech and clawed Rascal's stomach with her hind claws. He gripped the she-cat's neck in his teeth and clawed at her shoulders with his front paws.

Ghostwind gave a shout and dug his claws into Rascal's shoulder. He ripped the tom off of Ravenheart and slammed him to the ground. His paw found the tom's throat, making his laugh sound gurgled. Rascal's back paws lashed out, hitting Ghostwind right in the chest and sending him flying. He landed on Tigerflame, who yelped in pain.

Rascal flipped himself to his paws. "None of you are a match for me! I'm a DarkClan cat!"

Reekfur screamed and slashed his father's face with a paw. "DarkClan doesn't exist!" He jumped onto Rascal and tore into his back.

Rascal reared up. Reekfur lost his grip and slid to the ground. Rascal spun around and tore open his son's shoulder. Reekfur winced with the pain.

"Fernstripe, stop!" a new voice shouted.

A gray and black blur slammed into Rascal, causing him to stumble. Ghostwind realized the blur was Fernstripe. The LightClan she-cat tore a gash down Rascal's chest, splattering the ground with his blood. She hissed, her ears flat, as Rascal attempted to slash a paw at her face. She dodged quickly out of the way and dug her claws into his back. Out of energy, the old tom went down, his paws heaving and blood oozing from his wounds.

Ghostwind turned as Duskstar padded over. The tom's mismatched eyes, one blue and one green, were filled with regret as he walked up to the defeated Rascal.

"I've been keeping an eye on you," Duskstar said. "Pepperclaw will be so disappointed to learn of what you've done."

Rascal hissed. "She was always weak! If she were stronger, she would stand behind me!"

"As leader of LightClan, I banish you from LightClan's territory," Duskstar meowed. "Leave us, Rascal. If you ever return, my warriors will not hesitate to take you down. Again."

Fernstripe backed away from the defeated tom. Rascal gave one last hiss before slipping away. The last they saw of him was the tip of his tail disappearing into the bushes.

"Reekfur!" Fernstripe dashed to the tom's side. Rascal's son was lying on the ground, panting from the fight. "Are you okay?"

Reekfur sat up. "Yes. I'm fine."

"I'm sorry about your father, Reekfur," Duskstar said.

The black tom shook his head. "You have nothing to be sorry for, Duskstar. It was just as much my wish as yours that Rascalpelt would believe in the warrior code. He would have been a great warrior, if only he'd believed."

"Nice words for someone who doesn't deserve it," Tigerflame grumbled.

Russetfrost swatted his brother's head with a paw.

"You are a great warrior, Reekfur. That makes up for all the bad things that Rascal has done," Duskstar said. He glanced at Fernstripe. "I believe my daughter sees that, as well. You have chosen a wonderful tom as your mate, Fernstripe."

"Duskstar!" Fernstripe whined. "Not in front of the other chosen cats!"

Duskstar chuckled before turning to Ghostwind and the others. "I came to wish you luck on your journey. Watch out for each other as if you were all from one Clan. Loyalities to your separate Clans will not aide you on your journey. They will only hinder your success."

"Thank you for the advice, Duskstar," Ghostwind said with a nod.

"Ravenheart, do you need any herbs for your wounds?" Duskstar asked the medicine cat, who was gathering up the fallen traveling herbs.

"I'll find some on the way, but thank you for the offer," she said with a respectful nod.

"I wish you well, then," Duskstar said. He bowed his head to them all before touching his nose to his daughter's cheek. "We will miss you dearly, my daughter. Take care."

"Good-bye, father," Fernstripe whispered, nuzzling his cheek quickly with her nose.

Duskstar twitched his tail once before padding away.

Fernstripe turned to Reekfur. "You're sure you're okay?"

Reekfur stretched, unsheathing his claws for a moment. "I'll be fine."

"Make sure to have Tuskclaw look over you when you get back to camp," Fernstripe said. "I don't want you getting an infection in any of your wounds because you neglected to see the medicine cat!"

Reekfur laughed. "You have my word, Fernstripe. I'll go and see Tuskclaw the moment I get back."

Fernstripe tucked her nose under Reekfur's chin. "I'll be back soon, okay?"

"And I'll be here waiting," Reekfur replied. He licked her ear. "Take care of yourself, Fernstripe."

"I will," Fernstripe said. "Make sure you take care of Pepperclaw. She still hasn't had her kits, and I'm sure the news about...Rascalpelt...will upset her...and Boomflower, too! You need to be there for both of them."

"Will you just go already?" Reekfur laughed. "We can take care of ourselves."

Fernstripe sighed. "Good-bye, Reekfur."

"Good-bye," Reekfur meowed.

Fernstripe walked over to Ghostwind and the others. She glanced back at Reekfur.

"Weren't you going to escort us?" Swanpool wondered of Reekfur.

"I'd better get back to camp," Reekfur replied. "Fernstripe has a few things for me to do." The tom's yellow eyes glinted.

"Then go do them, you mouse-brain!" Fernstripe said with a laugh.

"Good luck! Come home safe!" Reekfur waved his tail before turning and running off.

Fernstripe turned to Ravenheart, who had the herbs all neat once more. "Are you sure you'll be okay?"

"Yes. I only have a few scratches. If we can find some dock or goldenrod, I'll be fine. If we can't find either of those, then I'm sure we can find some marigold instead," Ravenheart replied.

"I knew it was a good idea to bring her," Tigerflame said.

"Oh, yeah?" Eaglefeather retorted. "Weren't you the one who thought it would be a better idea to bring ShadowClan's medicine cat instead?"

"Time to go!" Ghostwind said before another fight could start. "Fernstripe, you should probably lead the way. You know your territory better than we do."

"Right," Fernstripe said. She trotted off through the bushes. "We'll come upon a large Thunderpath on the other side of our territory."

"I have a question," Tigerflame said as they walked behind Fernstripe. "How in StarClan's name do we know the right way to go?"

"Easy!" Moonmist said, seeming much happier than she had earlier. Ghostwind thought it was probably because they were finally on their way to SkyClan. "Our warrior ancestors will show us the way."

"Oh, of course! Why didn't I think of that?" Tigerflame scoffed.

"I think Tigerflame means to ask how will they show us the way?" Russetfrost said.

Ghostwind padded up to Moonmist. "I'd guess they'll be showing us the way in our dreams. That's the way they told us about the prophecy in the first place."

"Yes," Moonmist said, "but they'll also be appearing to guide us along!"

"Appearing? As in, we'll be seeing the spirits of dead cats?" Tigerflame laughed. "That'll go over well with any strangers we meet!"

"It's not that bad, Tigerflame!" Fernstripe said. "I'm sure if we followed our warrior ancestors, there would be less of a chance of us getting lost."

"She has a point," Eaglefeather said.

The smell of the Thunderpath reached their noses. Ghostwind snorted in disgust. Why did Twolegs have to create such nasty smelling things for those frightful monsters?

"Here we are!" Fernstripe said. "This is where our territory ends on this side."

Ravenheart dropped the traveling herbs. "Ashflower. Ghostwind. I think it's time you ate these. I'm tired of carrying them."

Ghostwind and his sister quickly ate the leaves. Some of them were slick with Ravenheart's saliva, so they didn't touch those.

"Those herbs are so gross," Ashflower meowed, licking at her paws to try and get rid of the taste.

"So...now which way?" Tigerflame wondered, sounding bored.

Ghostwind looked up and down the Thunderpath. "Does anybody...see a warrior ancestor? Because I don't."

"That way," Eaglefeather said, gesturing with his tail to the left, in the direction of the Twolegplace.

Tigerflame squinted into the distance. "Why that way?"

"Because I just saw Torchfur dart across the Thunderpath in that direction," Eaglefeather said, making it sound like he saw the spirits of dead cats every day.

"Who in StarClan's name is Torchfur?" Tigerflame demanded.

"He was the mentor of my father, Lionstorm," Eaglefeather replied.

"That's right," Fernstripe said. "You and Swanpool are the kits of RiverClan's deputy. I forgot about that."

"It seems that many of you are related to leaders or deputies of your Clans," Russetfrost said.

Tigerflame hissed. "And we're just the kits of two, regular ShadowClan warriors. What's that supposed to mean?"

Ghostwind didn't want to listen to Tigerflame complaining about not being related to someone important, so he started walking along the side of the Thunderpath in the direction that Eaglefeather had indicated. Ashflower and Eaglefeather quickly went after him, followed by Ravenheart, Moonmist, Swanpool, and Fernstripe.

"Hey! When did we decide this is the way we're going?" Tigerflame shouted, chasing after them with Russetfrost by his side.

"I don't know," Ghostwind called over his shoulder. "Maybe you were too busy complaining to hear us!"

Tigerflame and Russetfrost caught up to them. "You didn't even say anything at all! You just took off!"

"Tigerflame, this is not something to get your fur ruffled over," Russetfrost said.

Tigerflame snorted.

They traveled in silence for quite some time. It didn't seem long before the Twolegplace loomed in the distance.

"Do we have to go through Twolegplace?" Tigerflame whined.

"What's there to be scared of in Twolegplace?" Fernstripe asked.

"Except for maybe a few monsters," Moonmist said.

"You're forgetting about the scary, blood-thirsty, crazy kittypets!" Eaglefeather laughed.

"Can't forget about them!" Swanpool giggled as Fernstripe and Moonmist laughed.

Tigerflame glared at them.

"Will you just give it a rest, Tigerflame?" Ghostwind asked. "Everything will go more smoothly if you quit complaining about trivial things like Twolegplace."

"That's great, coming from you. You're half kittypet!" Tigerflame snapped.

"And proud of it!" Ashflower said, blocking Ghostwind so he couldn't tackle the ShadowClan warrior. "Remember what Duskstar suggested? I think we should try and act like we all come from one Clan, otherwise we're just going to keep bickering amonst ourselves."

"Oh, come on, Ashflower," Eaglefeather said. "You have to admit, sometimes bickering with Tigerflame can be fun. He can never win an argument!"

"Shut up!" Tigerflame snapped.

"Everybody just give it a rest!" Ghostwind shouted, running faster so he was a little further ahead than everybody.

When he reached the edge of Twolegplace, he stopped and waited for them to catch up.

"Sorry about that, Ghostwind," Eaglefeather meowed apologetically.

"It's over," Ghostwind said, shaking his head. "We have to figure out the easiest way to get through Twolegplace."

"Why not just follow this Thunderpath?" Fernstripe suggested. "It looks like it might lead straight through to the other side!"

"Good idea, Fernstripe," Eaglefeather said.

"You know, if following the Thunderpath straight through doesn't work, we'll be able to retrace our steps really easily," Swanpool said.

"That's true," Ghostwind meowed.

"Let's go, then!" Ashflower said, taking off.

"Ashflower!" Ghostwind yowled, racing after his sister.

She slowed down when she came to another Thunderpath that met with the large one they were following. He caught up to her and batted her on the back of her head with a paw.

"I was just having a bit of fun!" Ashflower grumbled, reading Ghostwind's disgruntled thoughts.

The others caught up to them.

"That was a foolish thing to do, Ashflower. There could be stray dogs around here!" Eaglefeather said.

"Nothing happened, so would you please just calm down!" Ashflower said grumpily.

Silently, they crossed the smaller Thunderpath and kept going. After a little while, Ghostwind thought he prefered the bickering over the silence.

_The silence makes the reality of what we're doing so much more real_, Ghostwind thought.

"I'm hungry," Moonmist said.

"You're going to have to wait," Eaglefeather said. "Unless you want to go in search of yucky kittypet food!"

"Oh, it's not that bad! Sure, mice and voles are much tastier, but you live where we do, hunting doesn't cross your mind often," a voice said from above.

The cats all stopped and looked up. Sitting on top of a Twoleg fence was a brown tom with a silver-white belly and muzzle and amber-green eyes. He looked strangely familiar to Ghostwind.

"Mudtalon?" Moonmist said, blinking in disbelief.

"Is that his warrior name? My goodness, you've all grown up!" the tom said. "I wish sometimes that we'd stayed in the forest, just so we could see our grandchildren."

"Francis," Ashflower said with a purr.

"Ashkit?" the tom said with a chuckle. "With Ghostkit and Moonkit."

"We're Ashflower, Ghostwind, and Moonmist now," Ghostwind said.

"Yes, of course," Francis said. He turned away. "Lola! Murry! Come see who's here!"

"Who is it?" a feminine voice asked from the other side of the fence.

A silver and dark gray striped she-cat with light green eyes and a yellow-brown collar appeared at the top of the fence, along with a gray and dark gray striped tom with a black striped tail, white stomach and paws and light yellow eyes. The second tom wore a red collar.

"My grandchildren!" Lola, the silver and dark gray she-cat, meowed, jumping down. "Oh, how I regret not being there to watch you grow!"

"Lola, you know you wouldn't have been comfortable in the forest forever," the second tom, Murry, said.

Lola rubbed her nose against the cheeks of Ghostwind, Ashflower, and Moonmist. "It's amazing how much you've grown! How are your parents? Your Clans? Is everythign okay around the lake?"

"As well as it could be," Ghostwind replied. "Rowanstar and Stormypelt are expecting their second litter."

Lola gasped again. "Splendid! I think it's time for another visit!" She turned to Moonmist. "What news of Brownclaw and Cloudpool?"

"They're both happy and healthy. They both have apprentices right now," Moonmist said with a purr.

"What great news! And Smokefrost? How are he and Breezeheart doing? Any kits yet?" Lola continued her questioning.

Moonmist shook her head. "Not yet."

Lola finally turned to the other cats in the group, who were all looking around nervously. "RiverClan cats! Do you have any news about my daughter, Willowsky?"

Eaglefeather and Swanpool glanced at each other quickly, their ears flat. Ghostwind's heart skipped a beat. What had happened to his RiverClan aunt?

"She...has greencough," Eaglefeather murmured.

"What? No!" Lola gasped.

Francis and Murry jumped down to comfort the yowling she-cat.

"No!" Lola sobbed, her legs shaking.

Ghostwind's neck fur rose. "Forgot to mention that, didn't you, Eaglefeather?"

The dark tom hissed. "What happens in RiverClan is none of your concern!"

"Willowsky is my kin!" Ghostwind snapped.

"And she is loyal to _RiverClan_! Not ThunderClan!" Eaglefeather retorted.

"Stop that!" Lola yowled. "It's obvious you are all here for a very important reason! What is going on around the lake? Has LightClan reverted back to DarkClan?"

"No," Fernstripe said, roughly.

"Lola, we were given a prophecy that is asking us to leave our homes and find another Clan, called SkyClan, that needs our help," Ghostwind explained. "StarClan wants us to aide them. Their Clan is split apart because of a misunderstanding."

Another sob escaped Lola. "That's so tragic. But why all of you?"

"We don't really know," Ashflower whispered.

"But it's the destiny we've been given," Ghostwind added. "So we're going to fulfill it."

"You sound so much like your father," Francis commented. "You look like him, too."

"He's definitely special, just like Rowanstar," Lola said, her voice sounding weak with emotion. "You had better go. We've kept you long enough."

"Good luck," Francis said.

"Yes. Good luck. Keep each other safe," Lola said, her light green eyes looking off into the distance.

"Good-bye," Ghostwind said. He flicked his tail in a gesture to the others that it was time that they were on their way.

The kittypets were out of sight before anyone spoke.

"That was...really strange," Fernstripe said.

"Those are the kittypets you're related to?" Tigerflame snorted. "Eaglefeather was right. Scary, blood-thirsty, crazy kittypets!"

"Our grandparents aren't blood-thirsty or crazy! They're just worried about their kits!" Moonmist said.

"Why didn't you say anything about Willowsky, Eaglefeather?" Ghostwind demanded to know.

"Featherstar forbidded us from telling anyone!" Eaglefeather replied. "We would have said something otherwise."

"Are you sure we shouldn't head back?" Moonmist wondered.

"No!" Ghostwind and Eaglefeather said at the same time.

"Everything will be figured out by the time we get home," Ghostwind said. "So we're not heading...back..."

The cats all gasped as they reached the edge of the Twolegplace.

The large Thunderpath had taken them right to the other side of the Twolegplace. Spread out before them was the land that they would have to cross to reach SkyClan. It wasn't until that moment that Ghostwind realized just how big the world actually was.

"I think this is going to take longer than we anticipated," Ashflower said.

* * *

"Maybe we should stop and rest," Moonmist suggested.

"Yeah. One of our ancestors might comes to us in our dreams," Fernstripe added.

"The sun is still up. We should travel as much as we can before it sets," Eaglefeather said.

Ghostwind felt the dried leaves crumble beneath his paws. A few birds were singing around them, but it was mostly quiet...well, except for the chatting cats.

"How do we even know we're headed in the right direction right now?" Tigerflame grumbled. "I think we should stop and rest."

"I agree. We can rest our paws for a little and try to figure out which way we need to go from here," Russetfrost said.

Eaglefeather batted at some leaves in his path. "We're going in the right direction."

Ghostwind sighed. He'd never been too excited to go on this journey, and now he knew why. While some of them got along, the personalities of the individuals in the group clashed.

"I still think we should stop," Moonmist said.

"Is that because you want to figure out which way to go next or because your paws are tired?" Swanpool asked her.

"Are you insinuating that I don't have the stamina for this journey?" Moonmist demanded, sounding angry for the first time Ghostwind could remember. "Do I have to remind you that, while you sit and dip your paws into pools, I'm running around after my prey?"

"Stop it!" Ashflower shouted. "Really! You're all giving me a headache! I say we ask Ghostwind what to do next!"

The other cats fell silent and turned to Ghostwind.

_Thanks, Ashflower_, Ghostwind growled.

_You're welcome_, she replied.

"Let's stop for a moment. We can keep an eye out for any warrior ancestors," Ghostwind said. "If we don't see any by the time the sun touches the trees, we'll go on in this same direction until dark."

Moonmist slumped to the ground. "I'll keep a look out for any of our ancestors!"

Ashflower yawned. "Is anyone else hungry?"

"I am," Ravenheart meowed.

"Let's go hunt," Ashflower said. "The others can keep an eye out for our ancestors."

"I'll come with you," Swanpool said.

"I'll go hunt over this way!" Russetfrost said, slipping away.

Ghostwind glanced around. He'd realized that he was alone with the other chosen cats. The five of them had never really been alone before.

"Stop that," Fernstripe meowed.

Ghostwind turned to see shadows dancing around the ground where Fernstripe sat. The sunlight around her intensified, breaking apart the shadows Tigerflame had gathered.

"You're no fun," Tigerflame meowed grudingly.

"We're supposed to be keeping an eye out for our ancestors!" Eaglefeather said, his tone stern.

"Like him?" Moonmist said.

They all turned to see a silver and gray long-furred tom with a dark gray tail walking toward them.

"Cottonbrave," Ghostwind said. He couldn't remember ever actually meeting his father's deceased cousin, but he'd heard enough about him from Rowanstar to recognize him.

"I've come with a message. Continue on your path and believe in the renegade. He will be a close friend in the end," Cottonbrave meowed. His yellow eyes suddenly bore into Ghostwind. "You need to know, Ghostwind. Not everyone believes in keeping you in the dark about the war."

"Cottonbrave!" Firestar's voice shouted from above.

Cottonbrave disappeared.

"Ghostwind!" Moonmist shouted. "Are you okay?"

"What? Oh. Yeah. I'm fine," Ghostwind said, shaking his head.

"Do you know what that was about?" Eaglefeather wondered. "Something about a renegade?"

"I think we're supposed to keep going the way we were going," Moonmist said.

"Yeah. That much was clear," Tigerflame grumbled. "The rest probably means we're going to find someone who will help us."

Ghostwind and the others all stared at the ginger tom in disbelief.

"What?" Tigerflame snapped. "I'm not allowed to give some insight into cryptic StarClan talk? I'm not that stupid."

"What about cryptic StarClan talk?" Swanpool asked as she, Ashflower, and Ravenheart showed up. Russetfrost appeared behind them a few moments later, dragging a squirrel.

"StarClan sent us a message!" Moonmist said. She repeated what Cottonbrave had said to them.

"Well, okay! I guess that means we keep going," Ashflower said. She dropped a mouse in front of Ghostwind. "We have to share. There wasn't much."

The cats all ate before they started off again.

"So do you think the renegade will help us? And how will we know they are the cat StarClan was talking about?" Fernstripe wondered as they walked.

"We can't be sure they're even a cat," Ghostwind said. "Remember the stories about Midnight, the badger?"

"Oh, yeah!" Eaglefeather said. "She could speak cat and speak to StarClan, right?"

Ghostwind nodded. He perked his ears a a monster flew by on the Thunderpath they were following. "The renegade could be a badger."

Another monster went flying by as Moonmist said, "That would be so interesting! Badgers are usually are enemies."

"But not Midnight. She was pretty smart," Ashflower laughed. "Do you think she could have joined StarClan?"

"She was awfully special," Swanpool sighed. "It would be sad if StarClan didn't let her join after she passed on."

A few more monsters went by, kicking up dust into the cats' faces.

"Is it just me, or are there more and more monsters?" Ghostwind asked, blinking the grit from his eyes.

"Strange. There do seem to be more," Eaglefeather said.

"Don't worry," Fernstripe said. "The monsters grow in number every night around this time."

"I wonder why?" Moonmist said, sounding awed by the peculiar monsters.

_I bet Gingerheart would know_, Ghostwind thought. He'd discovered that Thunderstripe's mate had actually been a Twoleg before coming to ThunderClan. StarClan had turned her into a cat for reasons unknown to Ghostwind.

"I can't believe I agreed to come on this journey," Tigerflame grumbled. "I could be at home, hunting some mice for the elders or queens right now."

Russetfrost snorted. "And miss the chance to go on an adventure? You'd be miserable back home. More miserable than you are now!"

Ghostwind padded a little further ahead. He didn't feel like listening to any more bickering between the others.

"I'm going to scout ahead!" he called over his shoulder before trotting even faster.

Ghostwind looked around as he walked. The sun was beginning to set, and soon they were going to need to find a place to sleep for the night. A tree caught his attention. There might be places near its roots for them to make nests! The tree looked as if it were growing moss, as well.

They sky was darkening more quickly now as he approached the tree. There definitely were spots to make nests among the roots that stuck up from the ground. He sniffed at the moss clinging to the bottom of the tree's trunk. It was dry, but it would be better than just leaves.

Ghostwind yelped as something suddenly slammed into him from behind. He felt thorn-sharp claws dig into his shoulder. He spun around and slapped the white and gray tom clinging to his shoulders. The old tom hissed and dug his claws in even further.

Giving a loud caterwaul, Ghostwind flipped onto his back and slammed the tom into the ground. Air rushed out of the tom's lungs, and his grip loosened. Ghostwind slid away and turned to face the tom...who he suddenly realized was _laughing_!

"You're an excellent fighter!" the tom wheezed, trying to catch his breath. "I haven't fought like that for seasons! You're not from around here, are you?"

Ghostwind shook his head, but he didn't let his fur lie flat yet.

"Who taught you to fight like that?" the old tom asked. He pushed himself up with a groan. Ghostwind wondered for a moment how old the tom was.

"My mentor," Ghostwind replied to the tom's question.

The tom's ears perked up. "Oh. So you're one of them Clan cats! I should have guessed!"

"You know Clans?" Ghostwind blinked in surprise.

"Kit, when you've traveled as long and as far as I have, you learn many things," the tom said. "What's your name, kit?"

"Ghostwind," he said.

"Ah. Interesting name you go, kit," the tom said. He stretched, arching his tail over his back, before sitting up again. "My name was once Patrick...but nowadays everybody knows me as Renegade!"

* * *

**End of Chapter Five**


	8. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Warriors, but I do own the characters and the plot created for this story. Please don't steal them.

**Author's Note:** Sorry about the two week long, unannounced hiatus. My laptop got a really bad virus, and I was so busy that I wasn't able to take it in to get fixed for two whole weeks. But now it's as good as new, and I can once again begin working on finishing up this series. For a while there, I was really afraid that all of my hard work had been eaten by the virus, but I was able to get everything back. Thank goodness for people who know how to fix computers! So, here is Chapter 6. I hope you enjoy it!

* * *

**Chapter 6**

* * *

"Ghostwind! Are you okay? We heard you yelling!"

Ashflower and Ravenheart skidded to a stop behind the old cat who had called himself Renegade. Both she-cats hissed when they saw the old tom.

"Calm down! It's okay!" Ghostwind shouted at them. "This is Renegade!"

Their ears perked up at the sound of the cat's name. Ghostwind had very much the same reaction when he'd heard the cat's name. StarClan had sent them a message telling them to find a renegade that could help them, and here he was.

"Is he the one StarClan sent for us?" Ashflower meowed. "But he's so old!"

"Excuse me, kit. It ain't polite to talk about someone when they're standing right in front of you," Renegade said.

The others came trotting over just then. Eaglefeather was in the lead with Swanpool and Moonmist on either side of him. Tigerflame and Russetfrost kept back, especially when they saw the old tom sitting in front of Ghostwind.

"What's going on? Are you okay, Ghostwind?" Eaglefeather asked, eyeing Renegade suspiciously.

"Sure took you long enough to get here!" Ashflower grunted.

"I'm fine," Ghostwind said to Eaglefeather. "I'm pretty sure I've just found the renegade that we were looking for. This old tom is named Renegade. Renegade, this is my sister, Ashflower. That's Ravenheart, our Clan's medicine cat apprentice. That's Eaglefeather and his sister, Swanpool. Those two she-cats are Moonmist and Fernstripe. And those two are Tigerflame and his brother, Russetfrost." Ghostwind gestured at each cat with his tail.

Eaglefeather's ears twisted forward. "What a fortunate time to find you. Maybe you'll be able to help us find a place to sleep for the night, Renegade."

The old tom shook his head. "Now hold on one minute there, kit! I ain't too sure I'm following you young ones. You keep mentioning this StarClan. I ain't got no clue who they are."

"You know about the Clans, but you don't know about StarClan?" Ghostwind said.

Renegade shook his head. "They ain't never came up in my meetings with Clan cats. Who are they? Another Clan of some sort, I'm guessing?"

"Yes. They're our warrior ancestors who have passed on from this world," Ghostwind explained. "They look down on us from Silverpelt, the large group of stars spread across the night sky."

"It's because of them that we're here in the first place," Ashflower went on. "They sent us a prophecy to follow. And not too long ago, they told us that we needed to find a renegade to help lead us to where we need to go."

"And you think I'm the renegade they're talking about?" Renegade chuckled. "Well, I'll be. I ain't never been asked to help someone find somewhere. I don't think I could pass up this opportunity. Where is it you're needing to get?"

"We have to follow a river," Moonmist said. "But it's a river from many, many seasons ago. We're not sure whether it's still there or not."

"But we do know it's hidden somewhere in a Twolegplace," Eaglefeather said. "Our ancestors had to flee because Twolegs were destroying the forests and hills that made up our their home."

Renegade nodded. "I know where you're talking about. That's over beyond that rocky area called Highstones."

"Highstones!" Moonmist gasped with delight.

"You know of the place?" Renegade wondered.

Ghostwind nodded. "It's where our ancestors used to go to speak to StarClan."

Renegade laughed. "What an adventure! I can lead you to the river you're looking for. I've been through that area so many times I've lost track."

"We won't be able to thank you enough," Eaglefeather said.

Renegade waved his tail through the air. "You can catch me prey on the journey and keep me entertained with stories. That's all the thanks I'll need."

Fernstripe yawned loudly. "We aren't going any further today, are we?"

Ghostwind shook his head. "No. This tree here is the perfect spot to stop and rest for the night. See the moss growing on it?" He gestured at the dry moss with his tail. "There are enough places for all of us to curl up among the roots sticking up, too."

Moonmist bounded over to the tree trunk to sniff at the moss. "It's dry, but it still looks soft enough to line some nests!"

Ravenheart went over and helped Moonmist tear some of the moss from the bark of the tree. The others separated the moss into large enough piles that every cat had enough to make a nest.

Tigerflame and Russetfrost dragged their piles over to a spot nearly on the other side of the tree. The two brothers flattened their moss with their paws before curling up side-by-side to sleep.

Eaglefeather showed Swanpool a clear spot between a few thick roots that was big enough for the two of them to sleep in. Ghostwind noticed Renegade watching the two RiverClan cats spreading their moss out to make their nests.

"Ghostwind! We can fit right here with Ravenheart," Ashflower called.

Ghostwind turned to see where Ashflower was. She was balancing on a thick root coming up out of the ground. A clear spot beneath here was filled in with grass, which would be more comfortable than simple dirt. Ravenheart was spreading their three piles of moss out to make a nest big enough for all three of them to curl into.

"Come over here, Renegade!" Moonmist said cheerfully. "Fernstripe and I made enough room for you."

"Thank you, kits," Renegade said. "It's not every night I get the share the warmth with a friendly neighbor."

Ghostwind curled up beside Ashflower, who was still pawing at her moss. Ravenheart sighed softly on the other side of Ashflower. It sounded like the medicine cat apprentice was already falling asleep. Ghostwind closed his eyes and listened to the murmurings of Moonmist and Fernstripe as Renegade walked around and around in his nest, trying to get comfortable.

"Will you two shut up and go to sleep?" Tigerflame grumbled from his nest.

Moonmist giggled.

"You could ask nicely, Tigerflame," Fernstripe meowed.

"Please settle down and go to sleep," Russetfrost said before Tigerflame could speak.

The two she-cats stopped talking.

Ghostwind opened his eyes and looked up at the night sky. The stars had come out and were twinkling down at them. They were harder to see than usual because of the harsh lights of the nearby Twolegplace. Ghostwind felt better knowing that he could at least see them. If he could see them, that meant that StarClan could see him.

* * *

The next thing Ghostwind knew, he was opening his eyes onto an unfamiliar landscape. The trees were almost familiar, yet he didn't recognize where he was. He glanced around, trying to find a landmark he recognized, but the darkness was confusing him.

A bush rustled and a cream she-cat with light brown spots stepped out into a beam of moonlight. Her sky blue eyes were bright in the darkness as they were lit up by the moon.

"Squirrelflower, what are you doing awake?"

Ghostwind turned to see a brown tom with a white chest and face looking over his shoulder at the she-cat.

"I couldn't sleep, Roughpine," the she-cat meowed softly. She padded over to sit beside him. "I noticed you weren't sleeping beside Runningstream and Mountainpaw, so I came to look for you."

The tom's light amber eyes were filled with a deep sorrow. "It's difficult, trying to care for half a Clan. I'm always wondering...what is going on back in the gorge? Is Volepaw okay without us? I know Mosspelt won't let anything happen to him, but I still miss him. Mountainpaw misses being able to see her brother..."

Squirrelflower stood and walked a few steps away. "Roughpine, nothing is keeping you, or your family, here. I would understand if you wanted to go back to the gorge."

"No, Squirrelflower!" Roughpine meowed. "Not until Whiskerstar..."

Both of the cats paused and twisted their ears forward.

"Did you hear that?" Roughpine whispered.

There was a howl suddenly in the distance. Another howl joined it. Within a few heartbeats, the forest around the two cats was echoing with the howling.

"Back to camp!" Squirrelflower screamed.

The two of them hurled themselves into the underbrush. They dodged around bushes and leaped over fallen logs before bursting into a clearing encircled by bramble bushes. It wasn't a very big clearing. From what Ghostwind could see, there was only a single den.

Ghostwind recognized the black she-cat sitting in the entrance of the den. If he remembered correctly from his other visions of these cats, that was...

"Darkbreeze!" Squirrelflower meowed. "Is everyone inside?"

The she-cat's light brown eyes were wide. "Yes. Thank goodness that Sweetleaf went back to the gorge after she had her kits."

Squirrelflower and Roughpine sat on either side of Darkbreeze. The three of them listened closely to the howling in the distance. Was it getting closer? Had one of the dogs found a scent that would lead them to the camp?

Ghostwind noticed the sun was beginning to come up in the distance. Someone was calling his name, and he could feel pressure on his shoulders.

"Ghostwind! Will you wake up already?" Ashflower shouted.

His eyes opened slowly. When he looked up, Ashflower dropped a mouse on his head. He spat at her and rolled out of his nest.

"I was dreaming!" Ghostwind grumbled before stretching in a big arch.

Ravenheart looked up from the thrush she was pulling feathers from. "Dreaming? About what, Ghostwind? Did you see our warrior ancestors?"

"No, he was watching SkyClan," Ashflower said. "You better eat, Ghostwind. Eaglefeather wants to get going soon."

Ghostwind glanced up at the sky, which was mostly still the dark blue of night. He could see on the horizon that it was turning paler. "It's barely sunrise!"

Ashflower flicked a tail at him impatiently as she finished off her own mouse.

With a sigh, Ghostwind pulled the mouse Ashflower had dropped on him out of his nest before gulping it down quickly.

Eaglefeather walked over just as Ghostwind finished swallowing his last bite. The dark tom was looking anxious to leave. "Moonmist was visited by Angelstar last night in her dreams. StarClan is happy that we found Renegade."

Ghostwind laughed. "It was more like he found us."

"Is everyone ready to go?" Swanpool asked as she walked over. "Tigerflame is getting antsy, but he won't say why."

Ashflower grunted. "Wish I could read his mind. Then I'd be able to tell you!"

"Are you youngsters ready yet?" Renegade called.

"I think that's our cue to get going," Ghostwind laughed. "Which way are we headed, Renegade?"

"Well, first we gotta get past a couple of big fields," Renegade said as the younger cats gathered around him. "That should be easy."

"Lead the way, then," Eaglefeather said.

_Oh, StarClan, please let Renegade know where he's taking us_, Ghostwind sent up a silent prayer. _We can't afford to get lost right now!_

_It's going to be okay, Ghostwind. I know for certain Renegade knows where he's taking us_, Ashflower said in his mind. _I see the route in his head._

_Yeah, that's oh-so-comforting_, Ghostwind grumbled at her. _And stop poking around inside my head!_

The group of cats followed Renegade quietly. After all of the bickering they'd done since leaving the lake, the silence felt strange.

"We're almost to the first field," Renegade meowed after a little while of walking.

Without warning, Tigerflame suddenly stopped.

Russetfrost paused and looked back at his brother. "Tigerflame, what's wrong?"

"Something's coming," Tigerflame said. "Sneaking, in the shadows."

Ghostwind and the others paused, but Renegade kept walking.

"Renegade, stop! Something's wrong!" Ghostwind called to the old tom.

The white and gray tom paused and looked at them over his shoulder. "What's going on, youngsters? We're nearly to the first field."

Fernstripe's neck fur suddenly bristled. "Whatever they are, they're getting closer."

Ashflower looked around. "What are they? Where are they? How do you know they're there? Are you two playing tricks on us?"

"Foxes!" Tigerflame screeched, just as a group of foxes burst out of a bush.

Ghostwind hissed. He counted five foxes; four males and a female. Their lips were pulled back in large grins, revealing pink gums and thorn-sharp teeth. The reddish brown fur on their necks was bristled, and their ears were flat against their heads.

"Renegade, get in the middle of us!" Ghostwind shouted, knowing the old tom was no match for this many foxes.

The foxes began to circle them. Saliva dripped from their jowls. Ghostwind and the others stood their ground, eyeing the foxes as the foxes eyed them.

One of the foxes was the first to move in. It lurched at Moonmist, jaws snapping. Moonmist darted aside and slapped unsheathed claws across the fox's cheek. Blood spurted from its new wound.

It was then that the other foxes attacked. Ghostwind found himself up against one of the males. Eaglefeather, who was on his right, jumped away to help Swanpool. On his left, Fernstripe and Ravenheart were clawing at a third fox. Ghostwind was alone in his attack.

The fox raked its claws at him, but Ghostwind ducked beneath the swinging paw and swung at the fox's chest. His claws ripped fur and flesh from the fox's chest. It snarled and lunged at him, digging its teeth into the back of his neck. Panicking, Ghostwind slapped his claws across the fox's nose. Blood poured all over Ghostwind's back before the fox let go, screeching in pain. It rubbed at its bloody nose with a paw.

Ghostwind leaped onto the fox's back and ran his claws down its back. It flipped over and kicked at him, but he dodged the flailing paws and clawed instead at the fox's throat. With a shriek, the fox flipped to its paws and raced away, followed heartbeats later by the fox Fernstripe and Ravenheart had been fighting.

When he turned to see if the others needed help, Ghostwind saw Eaglefeather slamming the third fox to the ground. Swanpool was latched on to the fox's tail. Ashflower and Tigerflame were chasing off the fourth fox. The fifth fox, being fought by Moonmist and Russetfrost, was struggling beneath Moonmist as she slashed at its face.

"Let them go!" Renegade shouted. "They've had enough!"

Eaglefeather slipped off the fox. Swanpool let go of its tail. With a snarl, it disappeared into the forest after its companions.

"Moonmist!" Ashflower, who was trotting back to the group, yelled. "That's enough!"

The white, WindClan she-cat hissed in the fox's face before letting it get to its paws and run away. Ghostwind stared at Moonmist in disbelief as she shook leaves and twigs from her blood-splattered coat. He never could have imagined Moonmist as such a formidable fighter.

Tigerflame was also looking at Moonmist with a new respect. "Having fun there, Moonmist? You missed a leaf behind your ear."

The she-cat pawed it away, leaving a smear of blood behind her ear. "I hate foxes!"

"That much was obvious," Eaglefeather murmured. He licked at a ruffled patch of fur on his chest. "Does anyone have any idea why there were so many of them?"

Swanpool sat down and curled her tail around her paws. "Foxes don't normally travel in such large groups, do they?"

"Those foxes weren't normal," Ashflower said. "They understand cat speech."

The others all stared at.

"What're ya going on about, youngster?" Renegade wondered, his silver eyes curious.

Ghostwind and the others glanced at each other, not really knowing whether or not they should tell Renegade about their special, StarClan-given abilities.

"It's...hard to explain," Ghostwind finally said. "And pretty unbelievable."

"What is it?" Renegade asked automatically.

"StarClan gave us special...abilities," Eaglefeather said.

"Special abilities? Like what?" Renegade tilted his head to the side.

_Here goes nothing_, Ghostwind thought. "I can see the future and walk in the dreams of other cats. Ashflower can read minds. Eaglefeather can breathe underwater. Moonmist can control the wind just by thinking about it. Fernstripe controls light with her thoughts, and Tigerflame does the same with shadows."

Renegade laughed. "Yes, that is pretty unbelievable."

"So...you don't believe us?" Moonmist asked, sounding like her usual self once more. It was very easy to imagine her as the vicious fighter she'd been moments before because of the blood still splattered over her pelt.

"I believe you," Renegade said. "Now, how about we cross this field here? I know where we can find us some water to wash off all that fox blood."

"Not all of it is fox blood," Ravenheart said. "Ghostwind, that bite on your neck looks bad."

Ghostwind tried to turn his head to look, but it hurt to do so. He got a glimpse of the blood oozing down his back, though. "I don't feel it much. Does it really look that bad?"

"You're getting blood everywhere," Ashflower meowed.

"Ghostwind, lay down right now. Try not to move much," Ravenheart ordered. "Swanpool, Moonmist...go and fetch some cobwebs." The two she-cats raced away. "Eaglefeather, Russetfrost...grab some of those leaves there and press them to his neck. It'll help stop the bleeding until they get back with the cobwebs."

Ghostwind lay down as Eaglefeather and Russetfrost pressed the leaves to his neck.

"Ashflower, come with me," Ravenheart said. "We're going to collect goldenrod and marigold, okay?"

Ashflower nodded. "I know them. I can see them in your head."

"Keep those leaves pressed to his neck!" Ravenheart said before she and Ashflower dashed away.

Renegade walked over and sat down beside Ghostwind's head. "You called Ravenheart a medicine cat apprentice. What's that mean, exactly?"

Eaglefeather answered. "Medicine cats learn how to use herbs and things to heal wounds, get rid of stomachaches, and things like that. Ravenheart is just an apprentice, though."

"But she's a good medicine cat," Ghostwind said. "Her mentor, Maggotstripe, said so."

Renegade nodded. "That's why you brought her with you."

Tigerflame laughed. "Yeah. So she can fix us up when we're stupid enough to get hurt, like Ghostwind."

Ghostwind hissed at me. "You've got a few scratches yourself, Tigerflame!"

The ginger tom snorted. "Nothing as serious as a neck wound. You're getting blood everywhere!"

"Not for long!" Swanpool and Moonmist came stumbling back. Each of them had a front paw wrapped up with cobwebs.

Eaglefeather and Russetfrost pulled the leaves away so that the two she-cats could start pressing the cobwebs to the wound.

"Don't use all of the spiderwebs," Moonmist said, completely her sweet self again. "We'll need more after Ravenheart puts herbs on it."

"We're back!" Ashflower called, her voice muffled by her mouthful of goldenrod.

Ravenheart appeared behind her, the marigold dangling from her mouth.

"Time to chew it up," Ravenheart said.

She and Ashflower started to chew the two herbs into a pulp. Once the plants were chewed up enough, they spat them onto Ghostwind's wound. Ravenheart gently spread the pulp across the open wound before covering it up with the cobwebs.

"There we go," Ravenheart said cheerfully. "We'll need to change the cobwebs tomorrow, but after that you should be fine."

Renegade gave a loud purr. "Excellent. Can we get a move on now?"

Ghostwind jumped to his paws. "Yes! Let's go!"

* * *

**End of Chapter Six**

* * *


	9. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Warriors, but I do own the characters and plot created for this story. Please don't steal them.

**Author's Notes:** I really enjoyed writing this chapter, and I hope you enjoy reading it! Thanks so much for reading, and remember: I love reviews! They make me want to write, write, write!

* * *

**Chapter 7**

* * *

It was a quiet morning in ThunderClan's camp. Pebbletail and Stormtail had taken their apprentices, Stonepaw and Shimmerpaw, out on a hunting patrol that would last all day. Rowanstar had declared late the night before that, since ThunderClan had so few apprentices, and Cloverpelt's kits still weren't ready to be apprentices, the younger warriors would have to do some of the duties usually done by apprentices. Smudgewing and her sister, Skunkpelt, had been asked to clean out all of the soiled moss from the dens today. The other warriors were either out patroling, hunting, or thickening the thorn bush walls of the camp.

Cottonclaw sat in a patch of sunlight, cleaning his face. He was babysitting Ebonykit and Tawnykit for Cloverpelt, who had decided to go for a walk in the forest close to camp with Stormypelt and Gingerheart. The two, young she-kits were chasing after a ball of moss Smudgewing had made for them when she'd passed by on her way into the nursery to put in some fresh moss. Tawnykit, who had the moss, squealed as Ebonykit pounced on her.

"Help, Cottonclaw!" Tawnykit giggled as she kicked at her sister.

With a chuckle, Cottonclaw put a paw beneath Ebonykit and tugged her off Tawnykit.

"No fair!" Ebonykit shouted, squirming out of his grasp.

Tawnykit escaped, pawing the moss ball ahead of her. Ebonykit raced after her sister. Watching the two of them play, Cottonclaw felt a pang of sorrow over his own siblings.

_It was my choice to stay behind_, Cottonclaw reminded himself. _ThunderClan needs me right now more than Ghostwind and Ashflower do._

As Cottonclaw went back to cleaning his face, the tunnel entrance shook. He turned toward the entrance, thinking it might be Cloverpelt and the other queens coming back from their walk.

It wasn't.

A slender, ginger-furred creature was slipping into the camp. A line of white fur began at its black nose, went down its chest, and up under its belly. Its fluffy tail was red, shot through with black and tipped in white. Its huge, pointed ears twisted forward as it slipped into the camp.

"Fox! Fox in the camp!" Cottonclaw shouted. "Kits, into the nursery!"

Ebonykit and Tawnykit screamed and raced into the nursery, the moss ball forgotten. Smudgewing and Skunkpelt came flying out of the nursery moments later as the camp erupted.

Oakpelt and Rainfur, who had been tucking twigs and needles into open spaces in the walls, charged toward the fox. Close behind them were Cedarspirit and Whiskerheart, who had also been working on the walls of the camp.

Cottonclaw watched in amazement as the fox stood its ground. Most foxes would have turned and run when they saw that many cats racing toward them. This fox, however, did something completely unexpected.

"Stop! I've come here in peace!"

Oakpelt skidded to a stop in amazement. Rainfur slammed into him. Cedarspirit and Whiskerheart paused, not sure what to do.

"What's going on here?" Rowanstar shouted, leaping down from his den.

The fox crouched low and put his ears flat against his head. "Are you the leader of this Clan? I come to you in peace."

Rowanstar looked at the fox suspiciously. "How is you know how to speak cat, fox?"

The fox crouched even lower. "My name is Lightning. I was nursed by a cat after she found me, abandoned as a newborn kit. She taught me to speak cat."

ThunderClan's leader glanced at Oakpelt and the other warriors who had charged at the fox. Cottonclaw saw his father's eyes gleam with pride. "You four can go back to what you were doing. Thank you for protecting the Clan." He turned and saw Cottonclaw standing in front of the nursery with Skunkpelt and Smudgewing behind him in the entrance. "Skunkpelt, go and fetch the queens. Smudgewing, please keep an eye on Cloverpelt's kits. Cottonclaw, would you come with us, please?"

Cottonclaw padded over to his father and the fox called Lightning. Oakpelt and the others walked away slowly, as if they didn't trust leaving the talking fox with their leader and his son.

"I am Rowanstar, leader of ThunderClan. This is my son, Cottonclaw," Rowanstar said. "Why don't we go for a walk in the forest, so we can discuss why you are here?"

Lightning finally rose. "That is a good idea. Thank you for allowing me to explain myself. I know how most foxes are the enemies of cats. My mother told me so for as long as I can remember."

The three of them ducked through the tunnel entrance and into the forest. Cottonclaw wondered why his father had asked him to come when he just as easily could have asked Oakpelt or Rainfur, who were senior warriors of ThunderClan, as well as Rowanstar's half-siblings.

"What is it that brings you here, Lightning?" Rowanstar asked softly.

The fox's ears bent back again. "It is not good news that I bring, Rowanstar."

Rowanstar sighed. "I knew it wouldn't be. A member of StarClan met me in my dreams last night to warn me that someone was coming who could tell me what he could not."

"Cottonbrave?" Cottonclaw whispered, and his father nodded.

Lightning gave a slight nod before saying, "You know of a group of rogues who took over the territory of your neighboring Clan?"

Rowanstar stopped. "Yes. What about them?"

The fox stopped and sat down. "They are going to come back. They want revenge against you for chasing them from their comfortable life. I needed to warn you because...they forced me to convince a group of foxes to aide them."

"Forced you?" Cottonclaw whispered.

Lightning nodded. His amber eyes filled with tears. "They took my mate and our kits hostage while I was away hunting. When I returned to our burrow, they were gone and a dark gray tabby tom was there waiting for me. He said that if I didn't help his Band...that's what they call themselves, a Band of Rogues...then they would kill my mate and our kits. I don't know how they figured out I speak cat..."

"So you saved your mate and kits and then came here to warn us?" Rowanstar asked.

The tom's shoulders sagged. "No. I wish it had happened that way. Despite doing what they asked, they still killed my mate and our kits. They left their lifeless bodies outside my burrow one night while I slept. I found them the next morning."

Rowanstar's ears flattened. "I'm so sorry, Lightning."

Cottonclaw could hardly believe the fox. The group of rogues had actually killed his mate and kits? He remembered how they'd learned that ShadowClan had been forced to hunt for the rogues when they'd infested their pine forest. It just didn't make any sense.

"Rowanstar," Cottonclaw said. "I'm not sure this is the same group of cats that were in ShadowClan. Remember how ShadowClan was forced to hunt for them? They were lazy. So lazy, I doubt they'd actually kidnap and then kill a fox's family."

Rowanstar flicked his ears. "Cottonclaw, revenge can make one do something they would not normally do. I'm sure those cats are very angry with us for chasing them from ShadowClan. Take that one rogue that stayed behind, for example. He attempted to enter our camp all by himself! His rage at what we did has probably clouded his mind."

"What? A rogue stayed behind?" Lightning sounded shocked. "I heard no mention of that from the few cats who I reported to about my success at finding foxes willing to fight for them."

"So you actually were able to convince foxes to fight for them?" Rowanstar shook his head. "This is very disturbing news you've brought us, Lightning. Thank you for the warning." He glanced back the way that they had come. "I'm sure my Clanmates will think I've gone crazy, but would you like to stay with us, Lightning? We don't have much food to go around because of leaf-fall, but you're welcome to stay the night."

Lightning shook his head. "That is very kind of you, Rowanstar. However, I've found a place just outside your territory that will work for me. If your Clan is low on food, it would be best if I hunted outside of your territory, as well."

"Thank you again for the warning, Lightning," Rowanstar said. "Will you come back to discuss this more with us? I need to speak with my Clan about your arrival and convince them that you are here on...special circumstances."

"I'll come tomorrow around the same time," Lightning replied. "Will that be alright with you?"'

Rowanstar nodded. "We will look for you then, Lightning. Good-bye."

"Good-bye, Rowanstar," Lightning said before slipping away into the underbrush.

* * *

"What is _that_?" Tigerflame yelped, stopping in his tracks.

Renegade looked over in the direction Tigerflame was staring. "You ain't never seen a sheep before, kit?"

"Sheep!" Moonmist giggled. "There are sheep on our territory! I've seen them sometimes while out hunting."

Ghostwind looked at the strange creatures. They made him think of clouds, with their fluffy white wool. There were only three of them, standing in a group as they munched on the grass.

"They don't look very threatening," Ashflower said.

"Nope. Sheep are dumber than dogs," Renegade said. "They ain't gonna hurt us, unless we scare them. There're only three here, so if they stampeded we could get away."

"Let's keep going," Ghostwind said. "We can't stand here all day staring at sheep."

They continued on through the fields of tall grass. The silence between all of them continued, making Ghostwind uncomfortable all over again.

When Renegade stopped and said that they were nearly to the end of the fields, the sun was at its highest point in the sky.

"I need to rest for a bit, kits," Renegade said, sprawling out in the shade of a bush. "I haven't traveled this far in a really long time."

Ghostwind sat down. "Let's all rest for a moment. Then some of us can go out and catch something to eat."

"Sounds like a good idea," Eaglefeather said. The dark tom sat down and began to groom his tail.

Swanpool stretched out her back legs before lying down beside her brother. "We shouldn't take too long. There are more sheep in this area."

Renegade, who was trying to pull a seed from between the pads of one of his paws, perked his ears up at this comment. "Like I said earlier, if we don't scare them, they ain't gonna hurt us. When you go out hunting, try to stay away from the sheep and there won't be a problem."

Ashflower flumped to the ground and rolled over a patch of grass. "I'm sure if they stampede, we can get away."

Renegade grunted. "I knew a cat who got killed being trampled by some sheep. It wasn't a big herd, but a couple blows from their hooves in just the right places...and nothing can save you from that."

"We'll be careful, Renegade," Eaglefeather said.

"I'm still too excited after those foxes attacking us to sit," Moonmist announced. "I'm going to go hunting."

Fernstripe stood up again. "I'll go with you."

Ghostwind watched the two she-cats pad away into the tall grass. He had a feeling the two she-cats would have an easier time catching prey in the open than the rest of them.

Ravenheart sat down beside him. "Can I take a look at your neck wound, Ghostwind? I want to make sure everything is okay."

"What? Oh, yeah. Sure." He laid down in a patch of grass so that Ravenheart could take a look at his wound. "It hasn't been hurting much."

He could hear her sniffing at the wound. "I'll keep an eye on it over the next few days, to make sure it doesn't get infected. But it looks really good, so you'll definitely be able to remove the cobwebs tomorrow."

"Thanks, Ravenheart," Ghostwind purred.

"You're welcome," she replied.

Ashflower got to her feet suddenly, her ears all the way forward. Russetfrost, who was closest to her, looked up from washing his face.

"What is it, Ashflower?" Russetfrost asked, sitting up.

The gray she-cat flicked her tail at the sky. "See those birds? They suddenly flew up into the air..."

Tigerflame laughed. "Stop being paranoid, Ashflower. Those birds probably got scared by Moonmist and Fernstripe."

Ashflower shook her head. "No. No, I don't think so. Those birds were too far away."

"What do you mean, too far away?" Ghostwind asked.

"I mean, there was no way for Moonmist and Fernstripe to have gotten all the way over there to frighten those birds," Ashflower explained.

Ghostwind felt a strange rumble beneath his paws. Beside him, Ravenheart's fur bristled. Renegade gave a shout and jumped to his paws.

"Stampede!" the old tom shouted. "Run!"

"Which way?!" Tigerflame yelped.

Ghostwind looked up into the leaves of a nearby tree. "Into the trees! Jump up into the trees! We won't get trampled up there!"

Renegade, who had already taken off, came running back. The others were already bounding toward the nearest trees so they could leap up into their branches. Ghostwind raced over to Renegade to make sure the old cat could get up into the trees.

The ground beneath them rumbled even more as the sheep stampede grew closer. Ghostwind glanced over his shoulder and saw puffs of dirt blowing up into the air. Just as he was turning back around, he caught sight of Renegade clawed his way up the trunk of one of the trees. Bunching his muscles, Ghostwind jumped up after the old tom. His claws caught in the thick bark of the trunk, and he pulled himself onto a branch opposite Renegade.

"Moonmist!" Tigerflame screeched.

Ghostwind looked down to see the white she-cat racing toward them. Her blue eyes were wide and her sides were heaving as she ran. The stampede was right behind her.

"Moonmist, up here!" Tigerflame shouted.

"Over here! Over here!" Ashflower screamed.

Ghostwind watched as Moonmist took a running leap. She caught hold of one of the branches but couldn't pull herself up.

"I'm slipping!" she cried.

Tigerflame jumped to her rescue, grabbing the fur of her neck with his teeth and pulling her up just as the sheep ran by beneath them.

Ghostwind's ears filled with the sounds of his beating heart and the hooves of the sheep beating the dirt as they ran past. Many of the sheep were bleating loudly.

"Where did they all come from?" Ghostwind said, coughing as he inhaled some of the dirt that the sheep had kicked up.

Renegade gestured at the field. "There are many sheep in these fields. I always travel along the fences because there are fewer sheep along them."

"Moonmist, where's Fernstripe?" Ashflower shouted from the other tree.

The sheep were gone now, so Ghostwind jumped down out of the tree. He figured if Renegade could get himself up the tree, he could figure out how to get down without any help. He padded over to the other tree, where Moonmist was crying as she shivered beside Tigerflame.

Ashflower jumped down out of the tree, quickly followed by Ravenheart.

"She and Fernstripe went different ways when they headed out to hunt," Ashflower said. She looked up at Moonmist. "She doesn't know what happened. She was following a rabbit trail when the sheep started stampeding."

Eaglefeather and Swanpool jumped down to join them.

"We need to look for her," Eaglefeather said.

"No."

They all turned to stare incredulously at Renegade.

"_No_?" Eaglefeather spat. "Why in StarClan's name can't we search for our friend?"

Renegade shook his head. "Something out there scared them sheep enough to send them into a stampede. Whatever it is, it ain't something we want to come across. Your friend knows how to follow a scent trail, she can follow ours out of here."

Eaglefeather's neck fur bristled. "If something is out there, we can't just leave Fernstripe here _alone_! What if she runs into it by herself?"

Renegade's ears lay flat against his head. "Listen, kit. Isn't it better that you lose just one, rather than two or three of you? You told me your ancestors sent you on a quest. I really doubt you didn't think about the bad things that can happen out here. If your ancestors are watching over her, isn't that enough?"

Ghostwind closed his eyes. "We've lost enough time today. We have to keep moving."

"Ghostwind!" Eaglefeather growled. "Fernstripe..."

He opened his eyes and looked at Eaglefeather. "Renegade is right. We can't afford to lose anybody else. And we can't afford to waste more time today going to look for her. If...if Fernstripe is still out there, she can catch up."

Eaglefeather's silvery blue eyes filled with tears. "I'm staying...to look for Fernstripe. You can all go on ahead and..."

Swanpool slapped a paw on the back of her brother's head. "No! You're one of the chosen cats, Eaglefeather. _You_ go on ahead with the others, and _I'll_ stay behind to look for Fernstripe."

"Can't argue with that," Tigerflame said as he jumped down from the tree. He looked back up at Moonmist. "Come on, Moonmist. We have to get going."

Ghostwind and the others looked at Tigerflame in amazement as he coaxed a still crying Moonmist down from the tree. When she was finally on the ground, Russetfrost jumped down to join them.

"It's all my fault! I knew we shouldn't have split up!" Moonmist wailed.

Tigerflame draped his tail over the she-cat's shoulders. "It's not your fault, Moonmist. Fernstripe is fine. She probably just got a little turned around after the sheep stampede and can't find us. But Swanpool is going to stay behind and look for her. Okay?"

Moonmist rubbed a paw across her eyes. "I want to stay and look for her, too."

"Moonmist," Ashflower said. "You're one of the chosen cats. You have to keep going." Ghostwind noticed his sister glance at him. "I'll stay behind with Swanpool to look for Fernstripe, okay? With two of us looking for her, we're bound to find her."

The woeful, white she-cat nodded solemnly. "Okay. Thanks, Ashflower."

Renegade gave a long stretch. "Okay. That's settled. Now let's go...before something else happens to hold us up."

Ghostwind and the others who were continuing onward said good-bye to Ashflower and Swanpool before they left.

"Be careful, Ashflower," Ghostwind whispered to her as they touched noses. "I don't want anything happening to you."

"I'll be careful, big brother," Ashflower said with a purr.

Following Renegade, Ghostwind and Eaglefeather led the others onward. They passed one last field before coming to a small Thunderpath that led to a small Twolegplace in the distance. It didn't take long for them all to cross the Thunderpath and leave the Twolegplace behind.

With Ashflower, Swanpool, and Fernstripe missing from the group, it felt very strange. Ghostwind had already gotten used to all of them being together on this trip. He hoped that nothing had happened to Fernstripe, and that Ashflower and Swanpool found her quickly so that they could catch up.

_Please, StarClan_, Ghostwind thought. _Watch over them...and us..._

He glanced over at Tigerflame, who was walking along beside Moonmist. The she-cat still looked sad about Fernstripe, but he could hear Tigerflame whispering to her, trying to cheer her up. He wondered why the ginger ShadowClan tom was being so nice to Moonmist. It was so out of character for him. Had he perhaps gained a new respect for Moonmist after seeing her fight the foxes? That didn't make sense. If he'd gained any respect for her for that, it would have been gone the moment he saw her running from the sheep in terror.

Ghostwind looked at Russetfrost, who was trailing along behind his brother and Moonmist. It didn't look like the white and ginger ShadowClan tom was paying any attention to the whispering going on between his brother and the WindClan she-cat, but Ghostwind noticed his ears twitch when Moonmist giggled at something Tigerflame had said.

Renegade suddenly stopped short. Ghostwind turned back around when Eaglefeather gave a gasp. Ghostwind felt as if his insides were falling out. His eyes widened as he tried to make sense of what it was he was seeing sprawled out in front of him.

This was not something he, or the others, had ever seen before...

* * *

**End of Chapter Seven**

* * *

**Author's Notes:** I know this chapter is short, but it certainly leaves off at a nice cliff hanger, huh?


	10. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Warriors, but I do own the characters/plot for this story. Please don't steal them.

**Author's Note: **Ugh. For some reason, this chapter was really hard to write. Please send me a review! I'm so happy when I get them that it really makes me want to write.

**

* * *

**

**Chapter 8

* * *

**

"I forgot this was here," Renegade said. "I think this is called the tangle of Thunderpaths. Haven't been over this way in moons."

"You _forgot_ this was here?!" Tigerflame spat. "How could you forget something like this was here?!"

Ghostwind sat back to look at the land before them. There was a Thunderpath ahead of them that grew up and up, high into the air. It was supported by thick, stone legs that were as big as trees. Beneath it, another Thunderpath led off into the distance. The stench coming from the tangle of Thunderpaths was remarkably foul. As they stood there, staring, monsters flew by on fast paws.

"If I remember correctly, Highstones is just on the other side," Renegade meowed.

Tigerflame snorted. "I doubt that. Your memory might not be as good as you think it is, especially if you forgot something like _this_ existed!"

_Nice to see Tigerflame is back to his old self_, Ghostwind thought. "If Highstones is just on the other side, we should look for somewhere to rest. The sun is beginning to set. We can find our way through these Thunderpaths tomorrow morning. That, and we haven't eaten since early this morning."

Nobody needed reminding as to why they hadn't eaten since that morning. Russetfrost and Eaglefeather volunteered to hunt.

"Don't split up," Ghostwind warned under his breath. He glanced over at Moonmist, who had curled up in a patch of dried grass.

Eaglefeather's silvery blue eyes filled with worry again. "Don't worry, Ghostwind."

Ghostwind stretched out in the dirt. Ravenheart padded over to him as the others all found spots to lie down.

"Let me check your neck again, Ghostwind," Ravenheart said.

The two of them were quiet as Ravenheart once again checked his neck. "It's closed up nicely. I'd go look for some more marigold to put on it, but I doubt any grows around these Thunderpaths," Ravenheart said. "You'll be able to take off the cobwebs in the morning."

"Thank StarClan," Ghostwind said.

"Yes. You were very lucky. The fox didn't get a chance to bite down hard enough to do any really serious damage," Ravenheart meowed.

Eaglefeather and Russetfrost returned just as the sun was completely disappearing in the distance. Eaglefeather had three mice dangling from his mouth, while Russetfrost dragged along a thrush and two mice. Ghostwind's stomach rumbled at the smell of the fresh-kill.

"Two of us are going to have to share that thrush," Ghostwind said.

Eaglefeather dropped his mice. "Russetfrost caught it, so he and Tigerflame can share it."

Tigerflame and Russetfrost padded away to share the bird. Ghostwind snagged one of the mice with his claws and pulled it toward him. Ravenheart settled next to him to eat her own mouse. Eaglefeather dropped a mouse in front of Moonmist, who thanked him quietly. Having no one else to sit beside, Eaglefeather curled up next to Moonmist and began to eat. Ghostwind noticed Tigerflame glaring at Eaglefeather. Quietly, Renegade picked up his own mouse and went over beneath a leafless bush to eat by himself.

Tonight, there was no giggling from Moonmist. She really didn't have anything to giggle about. Not tonight. Not after losing Fernstripe during the sheep stampede. Everyone was silent as the stars came out in the dark sky and the moon rose. Ghostwind looked up at the stars twinkling overhead and wondered about Ashflower and Swanpool. Had they found Fernstripe? Were they able to follow their trail? If they didn't find them by the time they left tomorrow, would they be able to follow them through the tangle of Thunderpaths?

_StarClan, I really hope that you're watching over them_, Ghostwind thought. _If Fernstripe was chosen to represent LightClan, you wouldn't let anything happen to her...would you?_

He really hoped the answer was no. No, they wouldn't.

* * *

Ghostwind found himself sitting near the tangle of Thunderpaths, alone. Where were the others? Had they left without him? They couldn't have! He stood up and began to sniff the air, trying to find the scents of Eaglefeather...Renegade...Tigerflame...

"Calm down, Ghostwind," a voice he did not recognize said.

From the shadows stepped a black cat with a white tail-tip. Ghostwind realized he was only dreaming because the cat's dark pelt shimmered with starlight.

"Who are you?" Ghostwind asked, sitting back down.

The cat walked over and sat down beside him. The starlight disappeared from his coat. "My name is Ravenpaw. You may have heard about me?"

Ghostwind bowed his head. "Yes. Stories are still told about you in ThunderClan. You were friends with Firestar."

The black cat laughed. "Yes. I owe so much to Firestar. But I'm not here to tell you stories about my past, or the past of your ancestor. I'm here because Firestar requested that I tell you which way to go from here. You know that you are supposed to find a river?"

Ghostwind nodded.

"When you find the river, follow it. It will take you to SkyClan," Ravenpaw said. "You may also want to stop by my old home. You'll find it across the Thunderpath on the other side of Highstones. There are a few cats there who are kind to strangers passing through."

"Thank you, Ravenpaw," Ghostwind meowed.

The black tom nodded his head. "I'm only doing a favor for an old friend. Good luck, Ghostwind. You and your friends are going to need it."

Without another word, Ravenpaw stood and began to walk away.

"Ravenpaw, wait! Do you...can you tell me if Fernstripe is okay?" Ghostwind called.

Ravenpaw called over his shoulder. "You will find out for yourself!" He disappeared into the shadows. Ghostwind squinted into the darkness and saw the cat disappear with a shimmer.

His eyes opened slowly. Ghostwind sat up and looked around. The others were all fast asleep. Tigerflame was snoring softly. He looked up at the stars, still twinkling the same as they had been before he'd fallen asleep. A twig suddenly snapped in the distance.

Ghostwind stood up. The fur along his back bristled as he heard rustling. Something was coming closer to them! Should he wake the others? But what if it was only a bird? Then again, he didn't know any birds big enough to crack sticks when they stepped on them.

His decision to wake the others was chosen for him when a gray she-cat came bounding out of the shadows, shouting, "Did you miss us?"

Eaglefeather and the others shot to their paws in their terror.

"Ashflower!" Ghostwind growled.

"Great StarClan!" Eaglefeather said, panting. "What were you thinking, sneaking up on us like that? It's the middle of the night!"

"Lucky I'm not a badger or a fox, or I'd have eaten you by now," Ashflower said with a laugh, just as Fernstripe and Swanpool came padding up out of the shadows.

"Fernstripe! You're okay!" Moonmist cried, running over to the LightClan she-cat to touch noses with her. "What happened? Did you get hurt? I wanted to stay behind and wait for you, but Renegade and Ghostwind thought it was best if we went on ahead!"

Fernstripe twitched her tail through the air. "I'm fine. I just got turned around after the sheep stampeded. I found an old badger set and hid inside until the ground stopped rumbling. When I tried heading back to find you, I realized I was lost."

"We found her along one of the fences," Ashflower said.

"Yeah. I'd been wandering around for a while, but I stayed put after I found a fence," Fernstripe said.

Tigerflame interrupted the happy reunion. "Okay, now that we're all back together again, can we all go to sleep?"

They laughed at Tigerflame's usual grumpiness before settling down to sleep. Ghostwind felt much better with Ashflower curled up beside him. She gave his ear a quick lick before putting her head down on her paws. He gave a happy sigh before tucking his nose under his tail and drifting off to sleep.

* * *

Cottonclaw stretched as he stepped out of the warriors' den. It was early morning, and very few of his Clanmates were awake. He noticed Cedarspirit sitting in the shadows beneath the Highledge. His brother's old mentor was staring up at the sky. Coldfur and Sootpelt were whispering to one another by the fresh-kill pile. Coldfur kept glancing at Cedarspirit, as if he might be wondering what the ginger warrior was doing.

"Good morning, Cottonclaw," Forestclaw said as he padded over. "What are you doing awake this early in the morning?"

"I woke up and couldn't fall back asleep," Cottonclaw replied to his uncle.

Forestclaw's light silver eyes filled with sorrow. "Hmm. Worrying about Ghostwind and Ashflower? They're strong cats, Cottonclaw. I'm sure they're both fine."

Cottonclaw nodded. "Do you know what Cedarspirit is doing?"

Forestclaw's whiskers twitched in surprise. He turned to look at the warrior sitting in the shadows. "Actually, he's been sitting like that since before I got up. I'm not even sure if he came into the den last night to sleep."

"Oh," Cottonclaw murmured. _How strange. What possible reason could Cedarspirit have to stare up at the sky like that? Unless...he's trying to speak to StarClan?_

Cottonclaw stood and walked over to the older ginger tom. Cedarspirit barely twitched when he sat down beside him. Cottonclaw noticed Coldfur and Sootpelt looking at him curiously now, as well.

"Good morning, Cottonclaw," Cedarspirit meowed.

Cottonclaw jumped. "Hello, Cedarspirit. Um...what are you doing?"

Cedarspirit's eyes glided over the sky, but he did not turn to look at Cottonclaw. "I'm not quite sure, Cottonclaw. It might sound strange, but I feel as if I'm being...called."

That did sound strange, and it didn't make any sense to Cottonclaw, either. He shook his head in confusion. "Do you think you could maybe explain what you mean by that?"

The ginger tom was quiet for a little while before he spoke again. "I need to talk about it, Cottonclaw. I thought, perhaps, that I should speak to Rowanstar about this. But I can see now that Rowanstar must lead ThunderClan without any distractions."

"And you think that whatever is calling you is going to be a distraction to Rowanstar?" Cottonclaw asked.

Cedarspirit chuckled. "Yes, I can see you are just the cat I need to confide in. What I want to talk to you about, Cottonclaw, is something you must not tell to anyone else. Especially not to Rowanstar."

"A secret? I can keep secrets," Cottonclaw muttered.

Cedarspirit finally took his eyes from the sky, but instead of looking at Cottonclaw, he instead looked up at Rowanstar's den above them. "We'll take a walk, then. Follow me."

_What in the world is going on here? _Cottonclaw wondered as he followed Cedarspirit out of the camp. _StarClan, help me be trustworthy enough for Cedarspirit to confide in! It seems like he really needs someone right now._

They didn't get too far from the camp before Cedarspirit stopped beneath a small oak tree. He sat down between a few of the roots sticking up out of the ground and wrapped his tail around his white paws. His amber eyes glowed a little in the morning sunlight.

"Cottonclaw, you are a very special cat. It's not very hard to see that," Cedarspirit said. He gave a purr as he said, "Especially when one can't see you at all."

Cottonclaw sat back on his haunches. "Cedarspirit, I don't think we came out here to talk about how special I am. Why were you staring at the sky? And what did you mean when you said you felt like you were being called?"

Cedarspirit closed his eyes and sighed. "For some time now, I have been having very strange dreams. There are voices that call out to me. They request my help. Some of them I can't understand...because they speak in the tongues of badgers...foxes...birds and bears..."

"What? I don't understand, Cedarspirit."

"I'm not quite sure I understand my dreams either, Cottonclaw. But I believe that my dreams are pointing me toward my destiny," Cedarspirit went on. "The animals that are calling out for my help are trying to show me that I'm the one who is supposed to help them. I have to travel the world to find them..."

"But that means you'll have to leave ThunderClan!" Cottonclaw said. "You can't leave us, especially not now!"

Cedarspirit lowered his head. "Leaving ThunderClan will be my greatest regret. But you must understand, Cottonclaw. I will be helping other creatures that need me. I must travel so that I can learn to speak the languages of those animals calling out to me...I must travel so that I can go and save them. I'll always be loyal to ThunderClan. And I won't be leaving now. I believe that my chance to learn to speak fox has walked right into our home."

"You mean Lightning," Cottonclaw said. "You've been thinking about leaving us because a strange fox came to warn us about a possible attack?"

"My leaving would have eventually happened, even if Lightning had not come here," Cedarspirit answered. "I will have to speak to the fox about this. If he agrees to teach me to speak his native language and travel with him, my journey will have begun. There has been nothing so important to me then this, Cottonbrave."

"I can see why you don't want me to talk to anyone else about this," Cottonclaw said. "Nobody would believe you. Is StarClan telling you to do this?"

Cedarspirit looked back up at the sky. "That is what I was doing, staring at the sky. I'd hoped that StarClan would send me some sign to show me that it is them giving me these dreams. But I saw no sign."

Cottonclaw flattened his ears against his head. "I won't tell anyone about this, Cedarspirit. I promise. And if you need help with putting your plan into motion, I'll help you."

"I knew it was you that I needed to talk to," Cedarspirit said with a purr. "Thank you for listening to me, Cottonclaw. You truly are a special cat."

Cottonclaw glancd back toward the camp. "We should probably go out and hunt. The others will probably get curious if we head back now with nothing."

"Good idea," Cedarspirit said.

Together, the two toms headed into the bare trees to find some fresh-kill to bring back to their Clanmates.

* * *

Later that day, Cottonclaw stumbled into the camp with a scrawny squirrel dangling from his jaws. He'd been out hunting on and off since after his talk with Cedarspirit. As he hunted, his mind refused to stop stop going over and over the conversation he and Cedarspirit had that morning. Cedarspirit was really going to leave the camp because of these voices that kept bothering him in his dreams! And the tom was so convinced he was the only one who could help all of those animals calling out to him.

_Don't those animals know that we need Cedarspirit, as well?_ Cottonclaw thought as he dropped the squirrel on one of the fullest fresh-kill piles he'd seen in nearly a half moon.

"Cottonclaw? Cottonclaw!"

He jumped and turned to see Rowanstar padding over to him. The fox, Lightning, was cautiously walking along behind ThunderClan's leader. Cottonclaw glanced around and realized that many of his Clanmates were staring at Lightning.

"Are you okay?" Rowanstar asked worriedly. "You aren't sick, are you?"

Cottonclaw shook his head. "I woke very early this morning, and I've been hunting all day today. I'm just tired, Rowanstar."

His father was still looking worriedly at him. "I was going to have you come with me to speak with Lightning again, but you need to go and sleep."

"I'm fine, Rowanstar. Really!" Cottonclaw said before giving a large yawn.

Lightning came closer. "You should rest, young kit. You will need to be strong, for when the rogues bring war to your home."

Rowanstar's ears flicked backward. "He's right, Cottonclaw. As your father, I implore you to get some rest. As your leader, I'm ordering you to. I'll go and find Thunderstripe, and we can fill you in later."

Cottonclaw said, "Okay, Rowanstar."

He watched Rowanstar and Lightning walk away to find Thunderstripe and discuss the rogues, who were bringing war to their home. Cottonclaw's fur bristled on his neck. Was this the war Ghostwind had been told not to tell Rowanstar about?

* * *

Something rustled behind him. He spun around and squinted into the darkness, trying to see what had made the noise. It was so dark around him, but the colors of the trees and the grass were so rich. He'd never seen such green. If he wasn't so scared, he could probably sit here and admire the beauty of the rich colors.

"Calm yourself, Cottonclaw," a voice said behind him.

He spun around again, just in time to see a long-furred tom with silver and gray fur and a dark gray tail step out into the patch of moonlight. His pelt shimmered like the stars that blazed in the dark sky above them.

"I know you!" Cottonclaw said. "You're Cottonbrave!"

The tom nodded, his yellow eyes glinting in the light of the moon. "You have grown into a handsome young cat, Cottonclaw. Your father and mother must be so proud of you."

Cottonclaw sat back on his haunches. "Why am I here? Have you come to tell me something?" He twitched his ears. "Has something happened to Ghostwind or Ashflower?"

"I have come to tell you something, but it has nothing to do with your siblings," Cottonbrave replied. He walked forward and sat down right in front of Cottonclaw. "You had a talk with Cedarspirit this morning...about his dreams."

Cottonclaw fidgeted. "Yes, I did."

"He was searching for a sign that his dreams were coming from StarClan," Cottonbrave whispered. He sounded sad. "But Cedarspirit is wrong. StarClan are not the ones sending him his visions of animals in need of his help. We have nothing to do with them."

"Then...who _is_ sending him the dreams?" Cottonclaw asked.

Cottonbrave shook his head. "You see, Cedarspirit is going to have to figure that out for himself. We cats in StarClan have other important matters to watch over."

Cottonclaw hissed. "So you aren't going to do anything to stop Cedarspirit from leaving us? ThunderClan can't lose another cat! It's leaf-fall...there's so little fresh-kill...and Lightning says that those rogues we chased from ShadowClan are coming back for a _war_!"

The dead tom's eyes were glistening with tears. "It's so much worse than that, Cottonclaw. So much worse. I wish I could tell you, but Firestar..."

"Forget Firestar! Tell me, Cottonbrave! What's worse? I know you're the one who told Ghostwind about the war that's coming! The one he couldn't tell Rowanstar about!" Cottonclaw shouted.

Cottonbrave began to disappear. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry..."

With a shout, Cottonclaw pounced on the StarClan cat. He dug his claws into the tom's fur and refused to let go. Cottonbrave gave a loud caterwaul as he continued to disappear. Cottonclaw squeezed his eyes shut. When he opened them again, they were in a sunlit clearing with a bunch of other cats.

"Cottonbrave! What's the meaning of this?" a blue-gray she-cat shouted. She leaped down from the log she'd been sitting on with a ginger tom.

Cottonbrave kicked Cottonclaw off of him. "I don't know, Bluestar! He...he dug his claws into me...I couldn't get away..."

The blue-gray she-cat strode forward and stuck her face in Cottonclaw's. "I recognize you. You're Cottonclaw, Ghostwind and Ashflower's brother! What are you doing here?"

"I want to know what's going on!" Cottonclaw hissed. "Cottonbrave said that the war is going to be much worse than we think it is! I want to know what that means! And I want to know why you aren't going to do anything to stop Cedarspirit from leaving ThunderClan! We need him! You can't just let him go!"

"Nice going, Cottonbrave!" a ginger tabby tom with amber eyes hissed. "You and your big mouth! Seriously, can you not follow orders?"

"That's enough, Goldenstar!" a large, dark gray tom said. His light green eyes were blazing in the sunlight. Beside him walked a silver she-cat with dark gray stripes. She had the same light green eyes as the tom who had spoken.

"Oh, of course you side with your daughter on this one, Clawstar!" Goldenstar spat.

"He wouldn't have had to say anything if you hadn't snapped at Cottonbrave," a blue-gray tom with yellow eyes sneered from behind the dark tom and striped silver she-cat.

"You have no right to talk, Icefur. You shouldn't even be here with us, you traitor!" Goldenstar shouted. "You're more suited for the dark forest, with Tigerstar!"

Icefur's entire pelt stood on end.

"That's enough!" the ginger tom still seated on the log screamed.

Cottonclaw's neck fur bristled as Firestar jumped down from the log and walked over to stand before him.

"Cottonclaw, you should not have attacked Cottonbrave. You should not be here," Firestar said. His voice was soft, but full of reprimand. "You are not the only cat who has had questions for StarClan that are not going to be answered. There are reasons we reveal only certain things to you and your Clanmates."

"Can you at least answer me one question?" Cottonclaw whispered.

Firestar's whiskers twitched. "That depends on the question you ask," Firestar said. He glanced sideways at Bluestar, whose shoulders with tense.

"If it isn't StarClan, then who is sending Cedarspirit his dreams and why?"

Shock went through many of the cats gathered around Cottonclaw. Cottonbrave, Clawstar, and the silver striped she-cat gave little chuckles of amusement.

Firestar closed his eyes for a moment and sighed. When he opened them again, his green eyes were sparkling. "Out of all of the questions you could have asked, you ask the one that will gain you the least bit of information. The ones who send Cedarspirit his dreams are the spirits of foxes. Under normal circumstances, the fox spirits do not gather together like we do. However, their legends have foretold of a cat, ginger like them, who would be chosen for greatness. Now, the fox spirits gather together for one purpose."

Cottonclaw waited for him to go on, but Firestar had gone silent. "What's the purpose?"

Firestar shook his head. "You asked if I could answer one question. I've answered it. Now, it's time that you returned to the world of awareness. Cedarspirit will want to know what you've found out. This is the sign he was waiting for."

Cottonclaw felt himself waking up. "Wait! You can't think that I'll be content with so little information!"

The scenery and cats were beginning to fade to black.

"You should have asked a different question, then!" Firestar called.

His eyes opened on the empty den. From the angle of the sunlight coming in through the opening of the den, it was almost sunset.

_StarClan, why do you have to be so frustrating?_ Cottonclaw thought, putting his paws over his nose with distress. _And why did I have to ask such a useless question?_

_

* * *

_**End of Chapter Eight**

* * *


	11. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Warriors. I do own the characters and plot created for this story. Please don't steal them

**Author's Notes:** My profile says I haven't been working on this, but I actually have two more chapters done. This chapter has been done for a little while, but I didn't realize I hadn't uploaded it yet. Oops! Chapter Ten, on the other hand, was just finished. I'm still working on a lot of plot and character development for my Digimon story, and I felt an itch to write on Eyes of Terror...so I did. I hope you enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 9**

* * *

"Has everyone eaten?" Eaglefeather asked.

Ghostwind pushed away the remains of his meal. It was early morning the day after Ashflower and Swanpool had come back with Fernstripe. The sun had barely been above the horizon was Eaglefeather had woken everybody up.

"You kits sure are in a hurry," Renegade meowed. The old tom ran a paw over his face to clean away a few stray bits of the mouse that Ashflower had caught. "Don't you ever relax and take the time to enjoy life?"

Tigerflame grunted. "I'd be enjoying my life much better if I was back home."

"You aren't the only one who wishes he was back home, Tigerflame," Eaglefeather spat. "I'm sorry, Renegade. I know that our quick pace must be hard on you, but we really must hurry. If we don't find SkyClan as fast as we possibly can, there's no telling what will happen to them."

Ghostwind heaved himself to his paws. "Then let's stop arguing and complaining and get going. You can keep chattering away while we're moving."

"Before we go, Ghostwind," Ravenheart said. "I want to check your neck wound."

Ghostwind twitched his tail. "Fine. Why don't the rest of you go on ahead? We can catch up once Ravenheart is done."

"I wouldn't split up now," Renegade meowed. "It'll be harder to trail us with the stench of the tangle of Thunderpaths."

Eaglefeather wrinkled his nose. "He's right. Make it quick, Ravenheart."

The black she-cat delicately pulled the cobwebs away from the back of Ghostwind's neck. "Okay, Ghostwind. It's all healed up. But if you think it might have start bleeding again, tell me so I can put fresh cobwebs on it."

"Thanks, Ravenheart," Ghostwind purred as she flicked the old cobwebs away.

With that finished, the cats set off again.

"We're going to have to cross these Thunderpaths, aren't we?" Eaglefeather asked Renegade as they passed by mounds of Twoleg junk.

"There's no way around them," Renegade replied. "We're gonna have to cross them."

Fernstripe glanced around them. "At least there doesn't seem to be that many monsters around right now. We shouldn't have a problem crossing."

"We'll go two at a time," Ghostwind meowed. "Ravenheart, you don't mind going with Renegade, do you?"

"I don't mind," Ravenheart replied.

They all lined up along the edge of the first Thunderpath. It looked like there would be two that they would have to cross before they would be clear of the tangle of Thunderpaths.

"Eaglefeather, why don't you and Swanpool go first?" Ghostwind suggested. "Ashflower and I can go last."

Eaglefeather and Swanpool looked up and down the Thunderpath before choosing just the right moment to dash across to the other side. They waited and watched as Moonmist and Fernstripe came running across to join them. Ravenheart stood patiently beside Renegade and waited for the longest pause between monsters to run across. Renegade limped as quickly as possible, but there was no danger from any monsters. Tigerflame and Russetfrost ran across easily. After pausing to allow a few monsters to rush by, Ghostwind and Ashflower joined the others.

The crossing of the second Thunderpath went as smoothly as the first. Ghostwind thanked StarClan that they were finally having some good luck today. Perhaps if their luck continued, they would actually find the river they were supposed to follow today or tomorrow.

"Hey, I just remembered," Ghostwind said. He'd completely forgotten about seeing Ravenpaw in his dreams, until now. "I was visited by a warrior ancestor last night."

"Really?" Eaglefeather gave a sigh of relief. "That's good. What did they say?"

"Why in StarClan's name are you just now mentioning your dream?" Tigerflame asked suspiciously.

Ghostwind shook his head. "Well, Ashflower, Swanpool, and Fernstripe showed up again...and then we had to find something to eat..."

"It just slipped his mind until now," Ashflower put in.

"Are you going to tell us what they said, or not?" Eaglefeather sounded impatient.

"Calm down, Eaglefeather. I'm getting to it," Ghostwind grumbled. "Ravenpaw said that we have to follow the river, once we find it. It'll lead us to where SkyClan lives."

"That's a big relief," Swanpool meowed.

"He also told me that there are loners where he used to live who are friendly to strangers passing through this area," Ghostwind went on. "They live in a barn, so I'm sure they'll be happy to share some mice with us."

"Whoa," Ashflower suddenly said.

All of them but Renegade stopped walking to stare at what could only be Highstones. It looked as if it were carved out of the ground, possibly by some sort of Twoleg monster. Ghostwind knew that there was an entrance that led deep under the ground to what was once called the Moonstone. This was where generations of leaders and medicine cats had come to speak with StarClan.

Renegade finally stopped and looked at them over his shoulder. "What's the hold up? I thought we were in a hurry."

Ghostwind shook his head. "This place is very special, Renegade. Our ancestors used to live around here. Leaders and medicine cats of the past came here to speak with StarClan."

The old tom looked around. "Here? But this is just some strange dip in the ground left behind by Twolegs. What's so special about it?"

Ghostwind padded forward, his eyes scanning the area. Where was the entrance? The place his ancestors had called Mothermouth?

"I don't think it's here anymore, Ghostwind," Ashflower called out. "You have to remember, it's been seasons since this place was used. For all we know, something happened that closed up Mothermouth forever."

Ghostwind stopped and sighed. She was probably right. It had been seasons since any cat had come here. StarClan no longer walked the skies in this area, watching over cats who lived here.

His paws began to tingle. He twitched his ears and walked forward a few more paces. The tingling grew stronger.

"Ghostwind, what are you doing?" Eaglefeather called. "We should be leaving."

"Wait!" Ghostwind called back, following the tingling in his paws. He stopped beside a wall of rock covered in vines and weeds, most of them still living despite it being leaf-fall. Using his claws, he began to tear the plants down.

Ashflower ran over to help him. The others came over, walking more cautiously.

A few moments later, Ghostwind and Ashflower had uncovered a gaping, black hole in the rock wall. Ghostwind gave a shout of excitement. This had to be it! They'd found Mothermouth!

"It's nice that you found it," Tigerflame said. "But you're not thinking of going inside? Honestly, it isn't like anything is going to happen. It's day time! We all heard the stories about how the Moonstone only shined during the night."

Ghostwind shook his head. "I don't care about that. I just want to see it. I promise I won't be long. I'll just go and have a look."

Ashflower sat down in front of the entrance. "Ghostwind, no. We don't know what could be down there! It's possible there was a cave in and the tunnel doesn't lead down to the Moonstone anymore. We should just go."

The others started to walk away. Ashflower stepped out of the entrance to follow them. It was then that Ghostwind caught a scent that he recognized.

"Cottonbrave!" he whispered.

Ashflower spun around, but she was too late. Ghostwind ducked into the tunnel and began to run. He heard his sister scream after him, but his senses were cloged with the scent of Cottonbrave.

_Cottonbrave must have a good reason for leading me down here_, he thought as he ran. There were places where he could barely squeeze through and his whiskers brushed either side of the tunnel, but he kept going. Cottonbrave's scent was growing stronger and stronger as he dashed down into the darkness.

There was a sudden light at the end of the tunnel. He burst out into a chamber, who knew how deep beneath the ground. An opening in the top allowed sunlight to shine down into the chamber. On the opposite side from the tunnel sat a huge boulder, a few tail-lengths in height. Ghostwind, his sides heaving, stared in wonder at the Moonstone.

"Touch it, Ghostwind," Cottonbrave said. The deceased tom was seated beside the Moonstone. He brushed the face of it with his tail. "It's been so many seasons since any cat has been down here."

Ghostwind crept forward. He settled down in front of the boulder and reached out with his nose. The moment he came in contact with the surface of the Moonstone, his body went rigid with cold. He squeezed his eyes shut.

The next moment, he was watching a very strange scene play out in front of him. Cottonbrave was talking to Cottonclaw, but he couldn't hear what the two of them were saying to each other. A few moments later, he could suddenly hear them.

Cottonclaw was hissing. "So you aren't going to do anything to stop Cedarspirit from leaving us? ThunderClan can't lose another cat! It's leaf-fall...there's so little fresh-kill...and Lightning says that those rogues we chased from ShadowClan are coming back for a _war_!"

"It's so much worse than that, Cottonclaw. So much worse. I wish I could tell you, but Firestar..." Cottonbrave's eyes were filled were tears.

"Forget Firestar! Tell me, Cottonbrave! What's worse? I know you're the one who told Ghostwind about the war that's coming! The one he couldn't tell Rowanstar about!" Cottonclaw shouted.

Cottonbrave said something else, but Ghostwind once again couldn't hear.

Suddenly, Cottonbrave tried to disappear, but Cottonclaw gave a loud shout and jumped on the StarClan cat.

Ghostwind gasped as the scene changed. Cottonbrave and Cottonclaw were in a bright forest, surrounded by other cats. A blue-gray she-cat jumped down from a log, where Ghostwind could see Firestar sitting.

The scene suddenly went black, and he could see Cottonclaw lying, alone, in the warriors' den back in ThunderClan. His brother awoke with a start, glanced around the den, and then put his paws over his face.

"Cottonclaw!" Ghostwind shouted, but his brother was already disappearing, as well.

He opened his eyes once more to see the Moonstone. With a growl, he jumped to his paws and turned to where Cottonbrave had been sitting. But the StarClan cat was gone.

"Cottonbrave!" he screamed. "Why did you show me that? I've already got enough to worry about without you showing me even more cryptic StarClan messages!"

The only answer was his own voice, echoing in the chamber. With tears in his eyes, Ghostwind darted back into the tunnel. This time, there was no scent of Cottonbrave to lead him onward. Instead, he followed his own scent back out into the open air.

"Ghostwind!" Ashflower yelped as he came flying out of the tunnel.

The others all jumped to their paws when they saw him.

"What happened? Ghostwind, are you okay?" Ashflower asked.

He padded away from Mothermouth. "Let's go! We've wasted enough time here!"

"Ghostwind, stop!" Ashflower shouted. She raced after him and jumped in front of him, forcing him to stop. "What happened down there?"

"It doesn't matter! It didn't make any sense! StarClan was just sending me more of their cryptic messages!" Ghostwind spat.

His sister's silvery green eyes were hard as stone as she glared at him. He knew she was picking his thoughts. Her eyes widened with shock. "Ghostwind, how could you call that _cryptic_? Do you know what Cottonbrave was trying to show you? Cottonclaw found out something really important! From the sounds of it, someone must have showed up back home and warned our Clanmates about those rogues bringing another war to the lake!"

"But what about what he was saying about Cedarspirit?" Ghostwind whispered.

Ashflower shook her head. "Whatever is going on with Cedarspirit, I'm sure that Cottonclaw can deal with it. But, seriously, Ghostwind! That wasn't that cryptic. Cottonclaw has found out who is going to bring the war that you weren't allowed to tell Rowanstar about!"

Ghostwind sighed. "Ashflower, if that's true, what good does that information do us now? We can't turn around and go home!"

Eaglefeather walked up. "Then I suggest we continue. Didn't you say there was a barn nearby with friendly loners? We can stop there and see if they'll allow us to hunt."

Ashflower looked sympathetically at her brother. "It's going to be okay, Ghostwind. I'm sure the reason Cottonbrave showed you what he did was so that you'd know that Cottonclaw is okay. The war hasn't come yet, obviously."

He shook his head. "Let's just go."

Eaglefeather led the way over to the others. Ravenheart gave Ghostwind a worried look, but Ashflower shook her head at the medicine cat apprentice.

The cats continued on their way in silence.

Ghostwind decided now was as good a time as any to think about what Ashflower had pointed out. She was right about the fact that what he'd seen had not been as cryptic as he'd made it out to be. But still...why had Cottonbrave showed him Cottonclaw's talk with him and the other StarClan cats? Was it as simple as Ashflower had suggested? Was Cottonbrave trying to show him that Cottonclaw was okay, and that the war he feared hadn't yet arrived?

_Nothing is ever so simple_, Ghostwind grumbled to himself.

"Look, there's the barn!" Moonmist called.

The cats all paused along the edge of yet another Thunderpath. On the other side and off to the right was a large, red Twoleg nest. There were fences around it that led off further to the right. The fences enclosed a large, bare area of land. To the left, they could just make out the tops of numerous Twoleg nests.

"Those Twoleg nests there," Swanpool said. "That's where WindClan territory used to be?"

Moonmist's ears flattened against her head. "You're right. I remember stories about how WindClan territory was in the hills near the barn."

"Doesn't that mean ShadowClan's old territory is that way?" Tigerflame gestured to their far left, on their side of the Thunderpath.

Ghostwind peered into the distance and could see more Twoleg nests. There really didn't seem to be any open areas around here...only Twolegplaces and the Thunderpath. But he knew, at some point in time, their ancestors had lived here.

"I'm hungry," Fernstripe said. "That mouse from this morning barely filled me up. Are we going to cross this Thunderpath and search down those loners Ghostwind mentioned?"

Eaglefeather sighed. "We'll go two at a time, like we did when we crossed the tangle of Thunderpaths. Ghostwind, you and Ashflower can go first this time."

The Thunderpath here was a little more lively with monsters. Ghostwind and Ashflower had to wait much longer for a moment to cross. They dashed to the other side before another monster could come. Once they reached the other side, Ghostwind turned back around to keep an eye on the others as they crossed.

_Renegade's going to have to really hurry_, Ghostwind thought as Moonmist and Fernstripe pelted their way across the Thunderpath.

It was Renegade and Ravenheart's turn now. Ghostwind watched impatiently as Ravenheart and Eaglefeather looked up and down the Thunderpath. Three more monsters flew by before Eaglefeather gave the go ahead. Renegade limped out onto the sticky, warm Thunderpath. Ravenheart stayed just ahead of him, glancing over her shoulder to make sure he was staying with her.

"Look out!" Ashflower screamed.

Renegade limped faster. Ghostwind turned to see a monster racing toward them. It was getting too close much too fast. They weren't going to make it!

Eaglefeather was about to dash out to the rescue when Ravenheart spun around, grabbed Renegade by the scruff of his neck, and dragged him out of the way at the last second. The monster went by harmlessly.

Ghostwind darted forward to help Renegade to his paws. The old tom was panting as he limped the rest of the way across the Thunderpath. Tigerflame and Russetfrost weren't far behind them as another monster went by.

"Are you okay?" Russetfrost asked Renegade as he slumped to the ground.

"I thought I was going to be crow-food for sure," Renegade panted. He turned to Ravenheart. "Thank you for saving my life, kit," he said with a grateful tone.

"You're welcome," Ravenheart said.

Eaglefeather and Swanpool joined them then.

"Is everyone okay?" Eaglefeather asked, looking pointedly at Renegade. "Do we need to rest to catch our breath?"

Renegade pushed himself up. "Not in the least. The thought of a mouse feast makes me feel young again."

Eaglefeather gave a sigh of relief. "Good. We'll probably be wasting enough time at the barn, anyway."

Once more, the cats set off. Ghostwind was relieved that, despite the fox attack, sheep stampede, and nearly being run over by a monster, they were all still in one piece. He wasn't willing to find out what would happen if any of them were lost on this journey.

They found the fence that surrounded the barn. Ghostwind noticed there were claw marks in one of the posts. Ravenpaw had been right; there were cats living here. But would they be as friendly as Ravenpaw made them out to be?

Ghostwind clawed his way up to sit on the fence. He looked around, trying to find a cat or traces of ones living here. Eaglefeather joined him a few moments later.

"Do you see anything?" Eaglefeather looked around.

"No," Ghostwind replied. "Maybe Ravenpaw was wrong."

There was a sudden loud screech. A black and white blur came shooting out of the red barn. It flew up the fence and slammed into Ghostwind. He toppled to the ground, hissing and spitting as the blur clawed him.

Ashflower spat and slammed a paw down on the black and white tom's tail. He jerked to a stop and spun around to attack Ashflower next, but he paused and glanced around at all of the cats who were staring at him angrily. He seemed to think twice about what he was doing after seeing the number he was up against.

"What in StarClan's name are you doing?" Tigerflame grunted.

The tom yanked his tail out from under Ashflower's paw. "I saw you two strangers sitting on the fence. I thought you were here to hurt our kits!"

Ghostwind licked at a ruffled patch of fur on his chest. "You have kits? How were we supposed to know that?"

They heard claws scarping wood and all turned to see a new cat up on the fence. The new tom was small, with a silver and gray pelt and amber eyes. He shook his head when he saw the black and white tom's fur ruffled and dirty from rolling in the dirt.

"I was afraid you were going to get all territorial, Bosco," the tom said. "You'll have to forgive my friend. He's been on edge ever since his kits got big enough to leave the barn. My name's Marty. That's Bosco. His mate, Gracie, is inside the barn with their kits."

Eaglefeather twitched his tail irritably. Ghostwind couldn't remember when the RiverClan cat had come down from the fence. "I'm Eaglefeather, and these are my traveling companions." He gestured his tail at each of them as he introduced them all. "We're passing through the area, and we heard that there were friendly cats at this barn. Obviously, we were given the wrong information."

Marty shook his head. "No, no. You were given the right bit of information. Only problem is that Bosco has been worried about his kits. Follow me, and I'll show you to the barn. You coming, Bosco?"

Bosco grumbled and began to groom his ruffled pelt. "You go on, Marty. I'll catch up with you in a bit."

Marty jumped down from the fence. Ghostwind glanced at Bosco before ducking under the fence and following the silver and gray tom. The others followed quietly behind him.

The tom led them over to the red building, where Bosco had come running out of. There was an opening big enough in one of the barn's walls for them to slip through. Marty disappeared through it, and Ghostwind followed him.

"Whoa," Ghostwind said, unable to help himself. The inside of the barn was dark and smelled of hay and numerous mice. His mouth watered automatically.

"Marty, who's that with you?" a feminine voice called out from a stack of hay.

"It's okay, Gracie. Your kits are safe. It's just a bunch of travelers," Marty's voice replied. "Quite a few of them, actually. We've never had such a large group pass us by before."

Ghostwind looked up and saw a black she-cat with a white spot on her chest appear over the edge of the top of the stack of hay. Her silver eyes glowed in what little light came in through some holes in the walls and top of the Twoleg barn.

"Oh, you're right!" Gracie meowed. "I've never seen so many cats traveling together. Hello, there! I'm Gracie."

"Hello," Ghostwind said. He introduced himself and everyone else. "We were hoping you'd allow us to stay here for a rest and something to eat."

Gracie began to jump down from the stack of hay. "It would be our pleasure. I'm sure you must have some wonderful stories to tell us about your travels. My kits would be delighted to listen to them. Tanya! Telly! Come and meet our guests!"

Two, young, black and white cats appeared from beneath a musty smelling Twoleg monster. They looked nearly six moons old. One was a she-cat, and the other was a tom.

"Hello!" the little she-cat meowed. "I'm Tanya! That's my brother, Telly!"

"Hi," Telly squeaked.

"Hello there, young kits! You're looking well fed," Renegade meowed.

Tanya purred. "Momma and Pappa and Uncle Marty feed us! We're going to learn how to hunt for ourselves soon!"

Ashflower's stomach growled. She flattened her ears in embarrassment. "Sorry. We didn't have a very big meal this morning, and we've been traveling since sunrise."

Gracie looked sympathetic. "You go ahead and hunt all you want. We have more than enough, even in this cold weather."

Ghostwind's mouth watered again. He glanced up into the barn, where more hay was stacked on another level of the barn. There was a thin, wooden bridge that led up there.

"I think I'll go hunt up there," Ghostwind said.

"Be careful," Gracie meowed. "There are some holes in the wood up there."

"Thank you for the warning," Ghostwind meowed. He trotted over to the strange wooden bridge and began to climb up.

When he reached the flat space, he discovered that it was sprinkled with more hay, which prickled the pads of his paws. As quietly as he could, he began to hunt down a mouse. There were so many in here, the smells were overwhelming. Before long, he'd caught three, fat mice.

"I've got some extra up here!" Ghostwind called down below.

Moonmist came up the strange bridge to see. "I'll take one, thanks. Tigerflame already gave me one he caught. These mice are so fat, aren't they?"

Ghostwind licked bits of mouse from his lips. He disregarded the remark about Tigerflame sharing his catch. "Yes, they are. They must be well fed themselves."

Once he and Moonmist had their fill, they carefully went back down and joined the others. Everyone looked full and content for the first time since Ghostwind could remember. Ashflower and Ravenheart were sharing tongues. Eaglefeather was pulling a piece of hay from his paw as Swanpool ran a paw over her face. Tigerflame and Russetfrost were whispering to one another. Fernstripe looked up from the last bits of a mouse as Moonmist walked over to her.

Ghostwind went over to find Renegade stretched out on the floor of barn, purring as Tanya and Telly tried to catch his twitching tail.

"I love kits," Renegade meowed quietly when he noticed Ghostwind.

"Did you ever have any?" Ghostwind wondered.

A sad look seeped into Renegade's silver eyes. "Yes. Once."

Ghostwind flattened his ears. "What happened to them?"

Renegade looked up at Ghostwind with tears in his eyes. "I never did tell you how I came to learn about Clan cats, did I?"

Ghostwind shook his head.

The told tom closed his eyes. "I learned about Clan cats when DarkClan cats stole my kits to use as their slaves."

* * *

**End of Chapter Nine**


	12. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Warriors. I do own the characters and plot created for this story. Please don't steal them.

* * *

**Chapter 10**

* * *

"Momma! The old cat is going to tell us a story!" Tanya called over to her mother, who was talking quietly with the cat named Marty.

Gracie's black ears flicked forward. "Then you had better be good while he's telling it, or I'll make you stay in the barn until tomorrow!"

Tanya's shout had gotten the attention of everyone else in the barn. Ashflower trotted over to sit beside Ghostwind. She looked at Renegade curiously.

"What's the story about?" Ashflower wondered.

"I'm telling the story of how I lost my kits," Renegade replied somberly as Ravenheart and the others gathered around. "It's a very tragic tale."

Tanya and Telly sat down right in front of Renegade. Their whiskers and tails were twitching anxiously as they waited for the story to begin.

Tigerflame settled down between Moonmist and Russetfrost before tucking his paws underneath him. "Is this going to be an interesting story? Because if I lose interest, I'm probably going to fall asleep."

Moonmist hit Tigerflame with her tail. "Tigerflame, be a little more sensitive! Renegade lost his kits, for StarClan's sake!"

Renegade gave a heavy sigh and began his story. "Back when I had my kits, I lived in Twolegplace and was known as Patrick. My Twoleg was nice and allowed me to roam free. My mate was Bella, a beautiful brown tabby with eyes bluer than the sky. She lived in the Twoleg nest next to mine with her Twoleg.

"When Bella told me we were having kits, I was beyond happy. When Heidi and Mack were born, I visited them every day. Bella and I wanted to spend as much time as we could with our kits, before Bella's Twoleg gave them away to other Twolegs..."

"What?" Tigerflame hissed. "The Twolegs took away your kits?"

Renegade ran a paw over his nose. "Twolegs do strange things, kit. Most of the time they take kits away from their mothers and give them away. But Bella's Twoleg never had a chance to give our kits away. Heidi and Mack were nearly six moons old when DarkClan arrived in our Twolegplace."

Fernstripe's ears flattened against her head.

"One of my friends told me about the strange group of cats that had settled on the outskirts of Twolegplace," Renegade went on. "He said that all of them had dark pelts, and they were spreading strange ideas around. It wasn't long before I met the strange cats myself.

"One tom, Crusade I think his name was, attacked me while I was out making dirt in the front of my Twoleg's nest. He had some other toms with him, who all jeered and laughed as Crusade pinned me to the grass.

"I remember what he said to me, as if it happened yesterday. 'Hey, light-demon! I heard from a pretty reliable source that you have a couple of young kits! We're interested in taking them off your paws! If you don't show us where your kits are right now, I'll rip your throat out!'"

Tanya gasped with fright. She snuggled closer to her brother.

Renegade went on with his story as if he hadn't been interrupted. "I refused to show him where my kits were. I would have rather died than give them up! He was about to slash his claws across my neck when Bella ran over from her home.

"'Stop! Don't hurt him! Our kits are right here!' Bella shouted at them. I was shocked that Crusade stopped and looked up. The distraction allowed me to slip away. I shouted at Bella to run, for her to get away...but the other toms were already on her and the kits. She'd given them our kits!" Renegade's voice rang with sorrow. "I tried to reach them, to get them back...but the toms picked them up like they were still newborns. And then they were gone! I knew in my heart that I would never see my kits again."

Renegade closed his eyes and put his head down on his paws. "Crusade stayed behind long enough to tell us that our kits were going toward a good cause...that they would be taught how to hunt and serve DarkClan. I asked Bella why she gave the kits up. She told me that if she was ever given the choice between me and our kits, she would always choose me over them.

"I couldn't believe what she'd done. I was ready and willing to give my life for our kits! I thought that Bella would be willing to do the same. I still loved her after what she did, but I didn't think I could ever forgive her," Renegade said, his voice lowering to a pained whisper. "I stopped going to see her and secluded myself to my nest. A few moons later, my friend found me making dirt in my garden. 'I'm so sorry for your loss, Patrick. First your kits, and then Bella!'

"'Bella? What about Bella?' I shouted at him.

"He blinked at me in surprise. 'Didn't you know? I thought you'd be the first to know after what happened! Bella's dead, Patrick. A monster killed her!'

"I was shocked. I had stopped seeing Bella, thinking that maybe if I stayed away from her I could learn to forgive her for what she'd done and yearn for her once more. But she was gone from my life, the same as my kits. I would never see her again.

"I decided to go in search of my kits after that. Nothing was keeping me in Twolegplace any longer, and the place was full of too many bad memories. It took me many seasons to follow DarkClan's trail. I knew I was on their trail whenever I came upon cats who told me tragic tales of cats with dark pelts kidnapping and spreading strange words around.

"I finally thought I'd found DarkClan when I reached an area around a lake. I could smell the many scents of cats. When I entered the marshy territory, I was met by a group of vicious cats. They made to attack me, but when I told them I was there to learn about DarkClan, they stopped.

"'DarkClan no longer exists,' the silver she-cat told me.

"'Yes, they've been destroyed!' the dark brown tom said with happiness.

"'How can that be?' I asked them. 'They stole my kits! How can I find my kits if there is no longer any DarkClan?'

"'You should speak with LightClan,' the tom with the missing eye said. 'The cats who now live as LightClan were once the cats of DarkClan. They are no longer evil. If your kits are still alive, they will be able to tell you.'

"I could hardly believe they were telling me the truth. The three pointed me in the direction of LightClan's territory. It wasn't hard to find. Another group of cats found me when I crossed the marked border. I told them my story, and they brought me to their camp to speak to their leader.

"I recognized the cat they called Duskstar. He was one of the toms who had helped steal my kits. How could I forget those mismatched eyes, one blue and one green? But when Duskstar recognized me, those eyes filled with regret and guilt. He told me that my kits had served DarkClan as hunters and slaves for many moons before they succumbed to starvation."

Fernstripe whimpered and put her head down between her paws.

Renegade lifted his head and peered at Fernstripe curiously. "What's the matter, kit? Is my story too sad for you?"

Fernstripe's green eyes were filled with tears. She flattened her ears against her head once again. "Renegade, my father is Duskstar. I'm the daughter of a cat who helped steal your kits!"

Tanya and Telly gasped and raced over to hide behind their mother. Gracie's mouth had fallen open. Marty's neck fur was bristled.

"I knew we should have chased them off!"

They all turned to see Bosco strolling forward from behind a bale of hay. The black and white tom's fur was bristled and his lips were pulled back to reveal his teeth.

"Bosco!" Gracie gasped.

Renegade hefted himself to his paws. "Calm yourself down there, Bosco. I don't hold any grudges toward Fernstripe or any of her family members, least of all her father. The cats of LightClan told me they no longer do evil things. They live in peace with four other Clans...Clans that these other cats come from." Renegade flicked his tail at Ghostwind and the others. "And I bet LightClan's been living there in peace for many seasons now and will be living there in peace for many season to come."

"But her father stole your kits and forced them into slavery! Your kits would have lived happy, carefree lives in Twolegplace if DarkClan hadn't taken them!" Bosco shouted. "What justice is it that they get to live happy, carefree, peaceful lives with other cats after all the destruction they've caused?"

Eaglefeather glared at Bosco. "Excuse me, but am I the only one here that thinks you hold a grudge against DarkClan?"

Bosco hissed. "DarkClan killed my brother! And now that I've learned _she_," he glanced at Fernstripe as he spat the word, "is descended from those filthy, despicable cats, I can't let her stay here! And if you're all friends with her and her DarkClan family members, then you can leave, too!"

"Bosco, didn't you hear what Renegade said? DarkClan no longer exists!" Gracie meowed anxiously, trying to calm Bosco down. Their kits were crouched down behind their mother, eyes wide and ears flat. "They're good cats now, not evil..."

"All DarkClan cats should die for their wicked deeds!" Bosco shouted. He rushed at Fernstripe, claws unsheathed.

A dark blur slammed into Bosco. Eaglefeather screeched as he dug his claws into Bosco's shoulders. The two toms went rolling across the hay strewn barn floor. Gracie screamed at her kits to run and hide. Tanya and Telly disappeared behind a stack of hay, mewling in their terror.

Marty darted over to the others. His entire pelt stood on end. "The rest of you better get out of here! Bosco will fight all of you without another thought!"

"Let him fight me!" Moonmist snarled, her neck fur bristled and her claws unsheathed. "I trained for battle for moons while he sat around chasing fat mice all his life!"

"We need to go," Ghostwind said hurriedly. He glanced at Eaglefeather clawing at Bosco's face. "But someone needs to stay behind with Eaglefeather."

"I will," Swanpool said. "He's my brother, after all."

Eaglefeather slammed Bosco to the floor and pressed his paws into the tom's shoulders. The barn cat struggled beneath the younger, stronger Clan cat.

"Nobody's leaving anybody behind!" Eaglefeather shouted.

"Vile, malicious, bloodthirsty, evil cats!" Bosco screeched. "Get out of here before I kill you all! I'll do it! I've been waiting moons for revenge! You killed my brother! You killed my brother!"

Fernstripe gave a violent sob and dashed out the barn door, brushing past Gracie on the way out. Gracie's ears were flat against her head.

"Fernstripe!" Eaglefeather shouted. "Swanpool, go after her!"

"I'm staying here with you!" Swanpool snapped.

Ashflower gave a growl of frustration. "I'll go after her!" The gray she-cat darted away after the sobbing LightClan she-cat.

"Will you listen to me? Leave now, before this gets any worse!" Marty said. "Go after your friends!"

Ghostwind dug his claws into the dirt floor. "You heard him. We're leaving!"

"But..." Moonmist started to say.

"Now, Moonmist!" Ghostwind snapped.

"Hey! I don't like you talking to her like that!" Tigerflame spat.

"Tigerflame, we don't have time for this! Eaglefeather, keep him pinned down. You're the last to leave. And run fast! I'm sure he's going to attempt to chase us."

"Sure, Ghostwind," Eaglefeather said through gritted teeth.

"Go!" Ghostwind shouted at the others.

Ravenheart darted away. Her face was wet with tears. Moonmist reluctantly went after her, Renegade limping along behind her. Russetfrost pushed his brother with his paws to get him going. Ghostwind followed them out. He could still hear Bosco's screeches when he got outside. Were they going to be able to get away from this crazed, revenge-seeking cat?

The group raced toward the Twoleg nests in the distance. Ghostwind stuck to Renegade's side, glancing back every few steps. He saw when Eaglefeather rushed from the barn. The tom stopped for barely a heartbeat to find them before racing after them.

"Faster, Eaglefeather!" Ghostwind shouted as Renegade pushed his way through a wall of bushes the others had already passed through.

Eaglefeather caught up to them. Bosco still hadn't come after them.

"Marty...holding him...down," Eaglefeather panted. "Let's go!"

They ducked through the bushes without looking back. As they ran toward Twolegplace, Ghostwind sent a prayer up to StarClan, hoping that this was the last time they saw Bosco.

* * *

"What a crazy cat!" Tigerflame spat. He turned his head and licked at the ruffled fur on his shoulders. "He's completely insane!"

Moonmist raked her claws through the grass. "I'd like to sink my claws into his mangy pelt and show him just who he was trying to mess with!"

"I don't think he was crazy," Fernstripe said quietly. "His brother was murdered. He has every right to be angry with my Clan."

Tigerflame and Moonmist ducked their heads at her words.

Ghostwind looked around as the others talked. They were at the very edge of the Twolegplace, gathered on a patch of prickly grass beneath the shade of a tall pine. He could hear dogs barking in the distance and the roar of a monster waking up.

"Eaglefeather, do you have any major wounds?" Ravenheart wondered, padding up to sit beside the dark RiverClan tom.

Eaglefeather looked up from a scratch on his shoulder he'd been licking. "Just a few scratches, Ravenheart. Bosco was old and an inexperienced fighter. I left him with more than a few scratches to remember me by."

"I vote we _don't_ go back to the barn when we're on our way home," Ashflower meowed, rubbing a paw over her face.

"That's probably the best idea," Russetfrost agreed.

Renegade stood up and shook himself. "We ready to go, you kits? You're lolly-gagging a bit right now, and I thought we were in a hurry."

"Lolly-gagging?" Tigerflame mouthed to Moonmist, who giggled.

"Hold on," Ravenheart said. "I want to find some marigold or dock for Eaglefeather's scratches. I highly doubt we'll find any in Twolegplace."

"I'll help you look," Ashflower said.

"Try and hurry," Ghostwind told the two she-cats.

Ashflower and Ravenheart disappeared into the trees.

"You don't think that Bosco is following us, do you?" Swanpool wondered aloud. "If he is, it wouldn't be wise to wait here for too much longer."

Eaglefeather flicked his tail. "Like I said, Bosco is old. I doubt even the want for revenge could keep that old sack of bones on our tails..."

"Heh-hem," Renegade said, clearing his throat. "What's that about an old sack of bones?"

The RiverClan tom flicked his ears. "I'm not talking about _you_, Renegade. You're different. Bosco is a kittypet, through and through. You have what it takes to watch out for yourself."

Renegade gave a rusty purr. "I'm just yanking your tail, kit."

Tigerflame and Moonmist started giggling again.

Ravenheart and Ashflower returned a few moments later. Quickly, Ravenheart chewed up the marigold and dock before spreading the juices over Eaglefeather's scratches. She licked her paws to clear the taste from her mouth before meowing, "Finished."

"Let's go, then," Eaglefeather said. "Do you want to lead the way, Renegade? You know which way we're headed."

Renegade grunted. "As long as none of you kits complain about my slowness. My bones are a little more achy than usual. Probably means a storm's coming our way."

Tigerflame snorted. "Could they be aching because we just had to run away from a crazy, bloodthirsty kittypet?"

The told tom shook his head as he led the way into the Twolegplace. "I know the difference between a sore ache and an ache that tells me a storm is coming, kit. I've got a feeling we'll be truding through some rain by morning tomorrow."

The group fell silent as Renegade led them by nest after nest. The sky was beginning to darken to the navy blue of night. Ghostwind noticed a few stars twinkling already. Lights were sparkling to life in many of the Twoleg nests, spreading patches of light across their path.

Renegade stopped at the edge of one of the many Thunderpaths that crisscrossed through the Twolegplace. He jerked his head left and right, as if he were trying to make up his mind which way to go from here.

Tigerflame scowled. "Please don't tell me you've gotten us lost."

"I ain't gotten us lost, kit!" Renegade meowed indignantly. "But it's getting dark. We should look for a place to sleep for the night. There could be stray dog packs out and about around these parts."

"Renegade?" a surprised meow called out to them.

The cats all spun around and looked up at a tall fence off behind them and to their left. A gray she-cat with long fur and mismatched eyes was staring down at them in surprise. Her right eye glowed yellow and her left eye orange in the lights reaching toward them from across the Thunderpath.

"Angelina?" Renegade flicked his ears.

The she-cat swished her tail and looked over her shoulder. "Abigail! Abigail, get up here! Come and see who's decided to stop by for a visit!"

Another gray she-cat appeared on the fence beside the first. A dingle rang from a silver bell that dangled from a reddish-brown collar sinched around her neck. Her yellow eyes glinted in the darkness as she looked down at them.

"Well, I'll be!" the second she-cat shouted. "Renegade, you old fool! What are you doing here, and with all these young, healthy cats?"

Renegade gave a loud purr as the two she-cats jumped down from the fence to join them. "I'm helping these cats. They need to get to that old river in the middle of this neighborhood. They've traveled a long way to get here."

Angelina and Abigail exchanged hesitant looks.

"That old river dried up a couple of moons ago," Angelina said. "We think the housefolk had something to do with it."

Abigail flicked Angelina's shoulder with her tail. "I think they did something to dry it up because it kept flooding into the nests any time there was rain. Housefolk hate when their nests get damaged like that."

Angelina sat down and wrapped her tail around her paws. "So, what do you all call yourselves? And where'd you all come from?"

Ghostwind introduced each of them before saying, "We've come from our homes around a lake. We all live in different Clans."

"Clans?" Angelina hissed. "Like DarkClan? Those were horrible cats!"

Fernstripe flinched.

"Angelina, you know Renegade discovered that they no longer exist," Abigail said soothingly. "There's no longer anything to make a fuss over."

Before the conversation could go any further, Renegade interrupted. "Do you gals think you've got a place for us to stay? We need a place to bed down for the night."

Abigail laughed. "Of course, Renegade! Anything for you and your friends. There's a small nest in the yard behind my housefolk's nest. It's the perfect place. You won't get wet when the rain comes tonight."

"So, it is going to rain?" Eaglefeather asked.

"Yes," Angelina said. "Our friend, Rodger, reported to us that Franchesca predicted there's going to be rain tonight. The elderly queen has never been wrong before."

"Ah, Franchesca," Renegade meowed. "How is she?"

Abigail giggled. "You should have stuck around longer last time you were here, Renegade. After your little rendezvous with Frannie, she went and had your kits."

Renegade's fur stood on end. "What?! Why didn't you tell me that before?"

Angelina purred. "You didn't ask."

"I must go see her!" Renegade said. He turned to Ghostwind and the others. "You don't need to come if you do not want to. One of the gals can show you to where you'll be sleeping tonight."

"Are you joking?" Ashflower gasped. "I want to meet this Franchesca cat who can predict when rain is coming."

Eaglefeather shook his head. "Ashflower, we don't really have the time. It's probably best if we just go to this nest Abigail talked about and rest. If we get to sleep now, we can head out early tomorrow..."

"There's no need for that, now," a melodic voice interrupted.

They turned to see three cats walking toward them. The she-cat in the lead looked old enough to be an elder. She was mottled tan, brown, and black. Her light green eyes were sparkling as she looked at Renegade. Behind her walked a young, light brown she-cat with the same light green eyes as the queen, and a young, gray and white tom with light brown eyes.

"Franchesca," Renegade meowed. His eyes strayed to the two young cats following her. "Are these...?"

The queen nodded. "These are our kits. Isabella," she flicked her tail at the she-cat, "and Peter." She twitched her tail toward the tom.

"Hello," Isabella meowed. "It's nice to meet you. Franchesca has told us a lot about you."

Renegade's silver eyes sparkled. "Knowing I have kits again...I'm overflowing with joy! But, Franchesca, how did you know I would be here?"

The queen's green eyes twinkled merrily. "I always know. You must remember my gift of seeing the future, Renegade? It has not abandoned me yet."

Ghostwind flicked his ears. Franchesca turned to him.

"Hello, young one," she meowed softly. "I saw your coming, as well. You are very special, Ghostwind. Many cats watch over you. There is much riding on your shoulders, but it comes at a price. I see many deaths in your future. Tragedy will strike when it is least expected."

He felt as if his insides had dropped to his paws. Ghostwind flattened his ears against his head in terror at her words. It was unmistakable that she was talking about the war looming in the distant future.

Ashflower padded forward. "You have an extraordinary gift, Franchesca. But I'd prefer if you could tell us something about our more immediate future?"

The she-cat turned to look at Ghostwind's sister. "Beware the water that has been forgotten for moons. That is all I can tell you." She turned to Renegade. "Why don't you come with us? I'm sure you'd like to get to know our kits."

Angelina and Abigail stayed behind as Renegade followed Franchesca and their kits away. The family disappeared into the darkness, leaving Ghostwind to wonder whether they'd see Renegade again.

"Come on," Abigail meowed. "I'll show you to that nest now."

They had to leap over the fence and drop down to the other side. A square patch of grass spread out before them, leading up to the front of the Twoleg nest where Abigail lived. Quietly, they followd Abigail around the nest and to another square patch of grass. There was a small, wooden nest standing against the fence here.

"See here?" Abigail gestured at a gaping hole in one of the walls of the small, wooden nest. "You can slip in and out through here. It's very dry inside, and it doesn't leak, so there's no need to worry about the rain."

"Thank you so much for allowing us to stay," Ghostwind meowed, feeling very tired suddenly. He gave a wide yawn.

Abigail purred. "I can see that you're all very tired. I'll leave you to sleep."

"Tomorrow morning, I'll show you a place where you can hunt for rats," Angelina said as Abigail padded away. "Not as good as mice, but they're pretty abundant."

As the others slipped into the small nest, Ghostwind turned to Angelina. "Is Renegade going to come back? We won't be able to find the river without an escort."

Angelina looked over her shoulder briefly before turning back to him. "If Renegade doesn't return...which he probably won't, knowing him...then I'll escort you to the river myself."

Ghostwind gave another wide yawn. "That'd be a big help. Thank you."

"It's no problem," Angelina laughed. "Now you better go in and get some sleep, before you fall asleep sitting here talking to me."

"Goodnight," Ghostwind meowed before slipping into the nest.

"Over here, Ghostwind," Ashflower said.

He found her curled up beside Ravenheart on strange, brown squares. Whatever they were made of was rough on his pads, but the coolness of the floor beneath didn't reach his body when he curled up beside his sister. With one last yawn, Ghostwind put his head down and fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

* * *

**End of Chapter Ten**


	13. Chapter 11

**Author Notes:** I am very sorry for my long hiatus! I've had writer's block _like never before_. It's actually been worrying me. It feels like I haven't written anything substantial for months now. This chapter was sitting in my dusty file for who knows how long. I actually thought I'd downloaded all of my finished chapters. Guess not. Oops!

Hopefully, this is a sign of the end of my writing dry spell. I can't believe I left you all at such a cliffhanger for oh-so-long. The story is really getting good! Some of my ideas which have been sitting, useless, on my Plot Ideas list are finally being put into action! So, enjoy.

* * *

**Chapter 11**

* * *

_"Wake up! Wake up!"_

Ghostwind bolted to his paws. He looked around as the others jolted awake. Ashflower's entire pelt was bristled as she turned to the entrance of the small Twoleg nest they'd spent the night in.

Abigail was standing in front of the hole that led outside. Her ears were flat, and her wet fur stood on end. Tears filled her yellow eyes.

"Abigail!" Eaglefeather said. "What's wrong?"

"Come look!" was all the she-cat could muster. She turned and fled, leaving the Clan cats to scramble after her into the rain.

She sped around her nest and over the fence. When she reached the edge of the Thunderpath, she turned left. They followed her at full speed, nest after nest flashing by. The rain pelted them in the face. Within seconds, they were all soaked to the skin. Finally, Abigail slowed down at the beginning of an alley between two, large nests.

"Look!" Abigail wailed.

They peered down the alley. Rain water dripped from the roofs of the nests and down into the alley. Lying in a growing puddle of red stained water, her lifeless body already being gnawed on by rats, lay Angelina's body. Moonmist gasped and turned away. Tigerflame touched his tail to her shoulder.

"Who...did this?" Eaglefeather whispered.

"Her head!" Swanpool gagged out. "Look at her head!"

Ghostwind squinted through the rain. It took a moment for him to realize what had startled Swanpool. Angelina's head had been completely torn from her body. Most of the blood that pooled beneath her was located where her neck should have been.

"Oh, great StarClan!" Ravenheart screamed.

"Fernstripe? What's wrong?" Eaglefeather was looking curiously at the LightClan she-cat.

Ghostwind tore his eyes from Angelina to look at Fernstripe. Her ears were flat, and her eyes were wide as full moons. The fur along her neck and spine was bristled.

"Fernstripe?" Ashflower prodded her with a paw.

"My father told me a story once," Fernstripe whispered. The cats had to strain to hear her over the rainfall. "DarkClan knew a technique that ensured the death of another cat. They rarely used the technique because so few cats could do it correctly...or even had the guts to do it."

"And what was the technique, Fernstripe?" Ghostwind asked, dreading the answer.

"They tore the heads off," Fernstripe said, her voice dull. "Just...like that."

Abigail sobbed. "I don't understand! Renegade said DarkClan no longer exists!"

"DarkClan doesn't exist," Fernstripe said, looking at Abigail. "LightClan has taken its place. I come from LightClan, so I've heard stories and grew up with cats who believed in DarkClan's ways. DarkClan no longer exists. But there are cats in this world who were part of DarkClan and who continue to believe in DarkClan's ways. It is very likely that one of them did this." She flicked her tail at Angelina.

Abigail shook her head. "We know all the cats in this area. None of them would harm Angelina. She is...was friends with everyone!"

"Then whoever did this isn't someone you know," Fernstripe said.

Moonmist flicked her whiskers. "What are we going to do now? If Renegade doesn't come back, we won't have an escort!"

"Angelina told Ghostwind last night that she would escort us to the river if Renegade didn't come back," Russetfrost informed everyone. "But now she is dead."

Ghostwind squinted at Angelina's body. "That's awfully strange."

Ashflower turned to her brother. "You think someone is trying to keep us from reaching the river. But who would want to do that?"

"It doesn't matter right now," Eaglefeather said. "It's morning. We need to find something to eat and get ourselves an escort."

"Rodger can help you!" Abigail said. "He lives with Twolegs like me, but he's more adventurous. He'll know where the river you're looking for is."

"Can you ask him if he'll escort us? It would help us a lot," Ghostwind said.

"I'll go find him right now," Abigail said.

"Abigail," Ashflower called, stopping the kittypet. "We're sorry for your loss. Angelina seemed like such a nice cat."

Abigail's eyes swam with tears again. "Thank you. She was such a dear friend. I'm not sure what I'll do without her." She sighed. "The news of her death will be hard on Rodger. The two of them were mates for some time. I'd better go find him." She turned and disappeared up the path.

"We need to eat," Eaglefeather said. "There seem to be plenty of rats here."

"Ew, no!" Moonmist yelped. "Those rats have been eating Angelina. We can't eat them now, or it'll be like we're eating Angelina!"

"She's right," Tigerflame said, wrinkling his nose.

"I see your point," Eaglefeather meowed. He looked around. "Let's try over there. I think I see another alley."

They padded over to another alley. Despite the rain, it was swarming with fat rats. Within minutes, the nine of them were feasting on the plump creatures.

"These rats must certainly enjoy their existence, eating Twoleg garbage all day long," Tigerflame said as he cleaned his face.

"Here you are!" Abigail reappeared, followed by a melancholy brown tom with a white muzzle and chest and dark amber eyes. "Rodger, these are the cats I told you about."

Moonmist tilted her head to the side as she looked at Rodger. "You look very familiar!"

"I guess I just have a familiar face," Rodger said.

Ashflower shook her head. "No, she's right. You look a lot like her father."

"We don't have time, Ashflower," Eaglefeather grumbled. "We need to reach the river by tonight..."

"I have a brother," Rodger interrupted. "We were separated by the Twolegs when we were young. Could he be your father?"

"Brownclaw did used to be a kittypet," Moonmist meowed happily. "But now he lives in WindClan. I think his kittypet name was Rufus."

"Name doesn't ring a bell," Rodger said with a shrug.

"Francis!" Ashflower said.

Rodger gave a purr. "Yes, that's my brother's name. How do you know him?"

"He's our grandfather," Ashflower explained. "He had kits with another kittypet named Lola, but all of their kits are now in different Clans. My mother, Stormypelt, was one of their kits, as well as Brownclaw, Moonmist's father."

"What a strange coincidence!" Abigail said.

"Yeah, yeah. Strange," Eaglefeather said. "I understand how fascinating this is, but we really are in a hurry. Rodger, can you escort us to the river or not?"

"Sure," Rodger said. "Though it's not much of a river anymore, ever since the Twolegs messed with it."

"That's okay," Moonmist said. "Our warrior ancestors in StarClan will help guide us."

Rodger flicked his ears. "If you say so. Abigail, I think it'd be best if you stayed home. Especially in this weather."

"Yes," Abigail said with a sigh. "I still have to tell everyone about Angelina, anyway."

The two kittypets gave each other a look of sorrow before turning back to the Clan cats.

"It was a pleasure meeting you," Abigail said. "I have a feeling this is our first and last meeting. Good luck with your journey, wherever it is you're heading."

"Thank you for your hospitality, Abigail," Ghostwind said.

With a swish of her tail, Abigail darted away into the rain.

"Follow me," Rodger said. "If we travel fast, we'll reach the river just after sunhigh. The rain might hinder us in some areas because of flooding."

The rain continued to pour from the sky as they padded quickly through Twolegplace. Despite his elderly age, Rodger was still very spry. He easily kept in the lead and rarely paused to rest. Ghostwind realized they were covering more ground at this much quicker pace than they had been with Renegade. Until now, he hadn't actually realized how slow they'd been going because of the old gray and white tom.

_Poor Renegade_, Ghostwind thought. _I hope he finds some peace with Franchesa and their kits._

_I'm sure he will_, Ashflower said in his mind.

As Rodger had guessed, they reached the river sometime after sunhigh. It was harder to tell how much time had passed with the sky covered in thick, gray clouds. The rain hadn't let up, either. Ghostwind had a feeling Eaglefeather and Swanpool had no trouble with wet pelts, but he and the others were feeling drowned.

"If you don't mind me asking, where are you going?" Rodger asked as they stopped at what once was a river.

Eaglefeather explained their mission as Ghostwind examined the dry riverbed. Some water had collected in it from the rain, but he was sure it had once been a splendid stream. It was too bad the Twolegs had stopped the water. They were probably going to have some difficulty following it to SkyClan.

"What an amazing story," Rodger said. "I wish you the best of luck on your journey."

"Thank you," Ashflower said.

"Since I doubt we'll see each other again, could you pass on a hello to Francis for me?" Rodger wondered.

"Of course," Ghostwind said. "Thanks for escorting us here. And we're very sorry about Angelina."

"It was my pleasure. And Angelina will be missed dearly," Rodger said. "But I'll join her again someday, I'm sure. Good-bye, and good luck."

They called out their good-byes as Rodger turned and padded back toward him home. Ghostwind was almost sad to see his kin go.

"Let's keep going," Eaglefeather said with a heavy sigh.

"Can't we stop to eat?" Tigerflame groaned.

"Do you smell any prey around here? All the prey is most likely hiding from the rain," Eaglefeather said roughly.

"We have no trouble finding prey back home when it's raining!" Tigerflame spat.

Ghostwind sighed. Trust them to start fighting again right after they were no longer traveling with a cat not from one of their Clans.

"Come on, Eaglefeather. If we eat now, we'll have a greater chance of getting farther than we would without eating," Moonmist said.

Eaglefeather sighed. "Fine. But nobody go too far, and try not to get lost."

"Let's hunt, Ghostwind!" Ashflower said.

He followed his sister toward a copse of trees. For a moment, he wondered if those trees had been here back when WindClan's ancestors had lived on this land, or whether the trees had been brought here by Twolegs when they'd built the Twolegplace. But the thought was abandoned when he scented a mouse.

Quietly, he stalked through the trees after his prey. He didn't know where Ashflower had gone, but he guessed she must be following another scent trail not far off. He flicked his ears forward to hear the mouse moving about in the leaves.

He didn't get a chance to catch the mouse when he finally spotted it because his vision went dark. His entire body tensed up as flashes blurred across his vision. Screams filled his ears, followed by the sound of water crashing against earth. A form disappeared beneath a gurgling mass of white.

"Ghostwind!"

His normal vision returned. Ashflower stood in front of him, a forgotten vole lying at her paws. Her silvery-green eyes were wide.

"What are you waiting for? Let's go!" she screeched.

Ghostwind turned and ran. He heard Ashflower's pounding pawsteps behind him as they ran, fullspeed, back to the riverbed. A roar filled his ears. He spotted Fernstripe lying in what used to be the river, finishing off a sparrow. Was he too late? Urging his paws to go faster, Ghostwind screamed, "Fernstripe, move! Run! Run!"

The she-cat looked up in terror. Ghostwind reached her and pushed her to her paws. The roaring grew louder, the sound pounding in his ears.

"Run!" he screamed again.

With Fernstripe by his side, he ran until they couldn't see the river anymore.

"Great StarClan!" Fernstripe screamed, looking back. Tears flowed down her cheeks uncontrollably.

Ghostwind's sides heaved as he tried to catch his breath.

Fernstripe suddenly rounded on him. "Why did you save me? Why, Ghostwind?"

He stared at her in surprise. "Are you mouse-brained? Did you _want_ to drown?"

She let out a sob. "I would rather be dead than listen to another story about what my Clanmates have done to other cats!"

"Fernstripe! You're a part of LightClan now. DarkClan doesn't exist anymore, remember?" Ghostwind said soothingly. "What happened in the past is in the past. Nothing we do now can change that. All we can do is forgive and _move on_."

Swanpool appeared. She limped over, holding one of her forepaws up. She saw Fernstripe's tears and asked, "What happened?"

"The river water..." Ghostwind twitched his tail in the direction of the river. "I guess the dam the Twolegs made broke."

"Why are you crying, Fernstripe? Did you get hurt?" Swanpool wondered.

"Ghostwind saved me," the LightClan she-cat replied. "If he hadn't helped me, the river would have swept me away."

"Where's Ashflower?" Swanpool looked around.

"We got separated," Ghostwind said. He took off back toward the river, worry about his sister now clawing at his belly. "Ashflower! Ashflower!"

"I'm right here," Ashflower said, walking toward him. Her ears were flat against her head. "But Moonmist...she got swept into the water. Eaglefeather and Tigerflame were able to get her out of the water, but...Ravenheart's having trouble getting her to wake up."

"Oh, no!" Fernstripe gasped, suddenly behind Ghostwind. "Not Moonmist!"

Ashflower led them over to where Ravenheart was bent over Moonmist. Tigerflame and Russetfrost were licking the wet WindClan she-cat's white fur. Ghostwind was only vaguely surprised to see that Tigerflame was pressed up against Moonmist as he dried her off. Nearby, Eaglefeather was cleaning the water out of his own pelt.

"We need poppy seeds or thyme," Ravenheart said. "But I doubt any grows around here. We're in the middle of Twolegplace, for StarClan's sake."

"I think she's starting to warm up," Tigerflame meowed.

"We need to get out of the rain," Ravenheart said. "Swanpool, Ghostwind, Fernstripe...can you make a den? Find a bush or someplace dry and well sheltered, and then make it better. When the den is done, bring Moonmist inside. Anybody who is up for it should then go hunting. Moonmist will need to eat when she wakes up.

"Ashflower, come with me. We need to see what herbs are around here. And if we find any moss for bedding, that would be great.

"Tigerflame, you and Russetfrost need to keep Moonmist as warm as possible. Try and dry her off as best you can. Eaglefeather, once you've finished drying off, you can help them. The more body warmth, the better."

Ghostwind went off with the others. It wasn't long before Swanpool discovered a sheltered bramble bush that had a dry, clear area in the middle of it. With a bit of pushing, pulling, and a great bunch of fur being pulled out, they were able to make a well-protected, dry den that was big enough to comfortably fit all of them.

"Swanpool, go and help the others get Moonmist in here. Then go back and wait for Ashflower and Ravenheart so you can lead them here. Fernstripe and I will go hunting," Ghostwind instructed.

His shoulders aching, Ghostwind went to hunt. It took him several tries to finally catch a scrawny mouse. His mouth filled with water, but he didn't know if Fernstripe had caught anything. Moonmist needed the fresh-kill more than he did.

"Good catch," Fernstripe complimented when he returned. "It's not as plump as this mouse I caught, though."

"Can I eat it, then?" Ghostwind asked drowsily. "I didn't get to eat before the dam broke."

Eaglefeather slid out from the newly crafted den. "Go ahead and eat it. Fernstripe can go in and take my place next to Moonmist. I've got enough energy to hunt for all of us. Ghostwind, you should try and get some sleep. Maybe our ancestors will speak to you and tell you how long it will take Moonmist to recover."

"Okay," Ghostwind said. He finished off the mouse in a couple of bites before curling up in the den away from Moonmist, Tigerflame, Russetfrost, and Fernstripe.

Though his belly churned with worry over Moonmist, who was his kin, despite them being from different Clans, it wasn't long before the sound of the rain lulled him into a deep sleep.

* * *

Cottonclaw felt a paw prod him in the side. He blinked open his eyes and looked up to see Forestclaw standing above him. The tom's whiskers were dripping, meaning he'd already been outside. His light silver eyes were glowing in the morning gloom.

"Dawn patrol," Forestclaw whispered, not wanting to wake the other sleeping cats. "Meet us at the camp entrance when you're ready."

It had been two sunrises since his fight with the cats of StarClan, but Cottonclaw had tried to forget what had happened. He'd told Cedarspirit everything from his dream, and the knowledge that fox spirits were sending him his dreams had seemed to make Cedarspirit happy. Cottonclaw had almost said nothing to Cedarspirit about what had happened. But then he decided it wasn't worth it. He'd told Cedarspirit he would help him, and he couldn't go back on his word.

Cottonclaw gave a mighty stretch and opened his mouth wide in a large yawn. He flicked some moss from his pelt before padding outside. A slight drizzle fell from the gray clad sky. By the time he reached the camp entrance tunnel, where Rainfur, Mistmeadow, and Darkeye were waiting with Forestclaw, his pelt glistened with droplets of water.

"Have fun," Lightdew, the night guard, mewed before padding off to the warriors' den.

Rainfur led the patrol out into the dripping forest. A blast of wind sent a sheet of water into their faces. Cottonclaw shook his head, trying to shake off the drops that stuck to his whiskers. The other cats were shaking themselves, as well.

"I wish it wasn't so wet," Darkeye grumbled, running a paw over his ears.

Rainfur gestured into the distance with her tail. "Let's check the WindClan border."

Nobody argued. They padded through their territory in silence. No birds were chirping because of the rainfall, but Cottonclaw could smell a couple of mice when he opened his mouth and breathed in. His stomach rumbled.

"You can eat when we get back to camp, Cottonclaw," Rainfur said, skirting around a clump of drooping bracken.

"Did you hear that?" Mistmeadow asked suddenly, her ears perked. She twisted around to their right.

The patrol stopped to listen.

"Hear what?" Darkeye wondered, flicking water from his ears. "I can't hear anything but water dripping from the trees."

"I thought I heard mewling," Mistmeadow said, tilting her head to listen.

Forestclaw shook his head. "That's ridiculous, Mistmeadow. No queen would be crazy enough to bring her kits out in this weather."

Cottonclaw strained his ears as they fell silent. Mistmeadow took a step forward, her ears flipping forward and sideways as she listened. Then, barely above the sound of the dripping water all around them, came the faint mewling of a kit.

"I heard it!" Cottonclaw said.

"Great StarClan!" Rainfur meowed. "There are kits in the forest!"

"This way!" Mistmeadow called, darting forward.

The patrol followed her through the undergrowth. Cottonclaw brushed against a leafless bush as he ran, spraying himself with water. Ignoring the uncomfortable feeling of wet fur plastered to his skin, he charged onward. It was only moments later that Mistmeadow skidded to a halt beside a lump of fur.

Cottonclaw slowed down and stared down at the poor creature in shock. The kit gave another pitiful mew. The young tom was big enough to be near six moons old, but he was so skinny that all of his bones were showing through his dirty, brown tabby fur.

Mistmeadow bent down to sniff him. She began licking his fur the wrong way, attempting to warm up the poor scrap.

"What's it doing here?" Forestclaw wondered, looking around.

Darkeye was circling the area, his nose close to the ground. He stopped beside a holly bush and looked up in surprise. "There's an unfamiliar cat scent over here. A rogue queen must have stumbled into ThunderClan with her kits."

Rainfur flattened her ears. "She must be desperate, if she left one of her kits behind. Mistmeadow, take that poor scrap back to camp and have Maggotstripe look over it. The rest of us will track down the rogue queen."

Mistmeadow nodded. She lifted the kit by his scruff. He didn't even struggle as he was lifted up. Cottonclaw feared that maybe it was too late. He watched Mistmeadow disappear into the mist that swirled around the trees.

"Come on," Rainfur said. "Darkeye, do you think you can follow the trail in this weather?"

"I'll try my best," Darkeye replied, immediately putting his nose to the ground. "The scent is faint, but I should be able to follow it."

Quietly, they crept through the forest, following the scent trail. Cottonclaw's worry escalated as they wound through bracken, bushes, and trees. It almost seemed like the rogue queen had been looking for shelter, but in all this rain there was nothing dry enough.

"There!" Forestclaw gave a shout.

They all looked to see a brown tabby she-cat sprawled on the forest floor. Racing over with the others, Cottonclaw realized that there were two more kits curled up beside the she-cat's belly. The she-cat's sides were heaving rapidly, and when Cottonclaw put his nose to her forehead he could feel the heat coming off her in waves.

"She's sick," Rainfur meowed quietly. "It doesn't look like she's going to make it."

At the sound of Rainfur's voice, the she-cat's eyes opened to reveal light yellow eyes filled with pain. A cough wracked the she-cat's body as she attempted to speak.

"Shh," Rainfur said, crouching beside the rogue. "We aren't here to hurt you."

"My kits," the rogue wheezed. "Bear fell." She coughed again. "Sparrow...and Mouse...here with me...afraid..."

"It will be okay," Rainfur said to the queen.

"Not...going to make it," the queen said. A sudden strength seeped into her voice. "You must take the kits from Uma. They must survive." Her eyes began to roll back into her head. "_Sparrow will fly over mouse and bear. When Lion and Tiger return to shake the forest at its roots, take care. The kin of the flower must listen to the sparrow's call, or Lion is guaranteed to fall._" With a final gasp, the rogue died.

"Great StarClan!" Darkeye yelped. "Was that a prophecy?"

Rainfur's ears were flat against her skull. "I believe StarClan sent this rogue to us." She glanced at Cottonclaw. "What do you think, Cottonclaw? You're the closest to StarClan here, other than Maggotstripe."

_Yeah, right_, Cottonclaw thought, reluctantly remembering his last encounter with their warrior ancestors. He looked down at the two kits shivering beside their now dead mother. Had StarClan really sent this sad family to them? Did the others really think it up to him to decide what to do? Rainfur was a senior warrior. But she was looking to him for guidance. "We should take them back to camp and tell Rowanstar what has happened. He won't refuse three motherless kits, especially when their mother specifically told us to see to them."

"I think that's the best choice. Darkeye, Forestclaw. Grab the rogue so we can take her back to camp. She'll need to be buried," Rainfur ordered. "Cottonclaw and I can get the kits."

Cottonclaw bent down to grab the tiny tortoiseshell she-cat. Her wet fur was gray and ginger with a few splotches of white. He could make out a few black tabby stripes along her sides as he swung her upwards. His heart clenched with a fierce emotion aimed at the little kit. There was a strange feeling in his gut that he just _had_ to get this kit back to camp.

Darkeye and Forestclaw each grabbed part of the rogue she-cat and began dragging her as fast as possible back to camp. Rainfur snatched up the silver tom kit and led the way back to camp.

* * *

**End of Chapter Eleven**


	14. Chapter 12

**Author's Notes:** The Clan Allegiances page has been updated with new characters from _Eyes of Terror_.

**

* * *

**

**Chapter 12**

* * *

_A few warriors were milling around in the camp when Cottonclaw and the others returned. Oakpelt raced over to Rainfur,_ his eyes wide at the sight of the rogue queen and her kits. Rowanstar and Thunderstripe padded over from where they'd been sitting beneath the Highledge. The rest of the camp was filled with whispering.

"Take them to Maggotstripe," Rowanstar said.

"The queen is already gone," Darkeye informed their leader.

Rowanstar's ears flicked back. "Dear StarClan. Are the kits still breathing?"

Rainfur and Cottonclaw nodded.

"Then Maggotstripe will want to see to them," Rowanstar said.

Cottonclaw followed Rainfur to the medicine cat's den as Darkeye and Forestclaw reported to their leader and deputy about the rogue queen's last moments. Inside Maggotstripe's den, it was dry and warm. They found Mistmeadow curled up around the first kit they'd found. From what the rogue queen had said before she died, the brown tabby tom Mistmeadow was licking was called Bear.

"More kits!" Maggotstripe meowed sadly. "But where is their mother?"

"Gone," Rainfur said around the silver tom's scruff.

Maggotstripe bowed her head in a sigh. "Put them here, and lick their fur the wrong way to warm them up. I'll fetch more poppyseeds."

They put the kits into an open mossy nest. Cottonclaw licked the she-cat kit until she squirmed in her sick-induced sleep. When Maggotstripe brought the poppyseeds, they carefully opened the kits' mouths and fed them each a poppyseed.

"There's not much else I can do for them," Maggotstripe said. "None of them are feverish, but they're nothing but skin and bones. I think they've passed out from exhaustion. They're old enough to eat fresh-kill, so when they wake up we can see if we can get them to eat."

"Do you think Cloverpelt will look after them? They look about the same age as Ebonykit and Tawnykit," Mistmeadow said.

Maggotstripe shrugged. "That is up to Cloverpelt, but only if Rowanstar agrees to allow them to remain in ThunderClan. It's leaf-bare. More mouths to feed will mean more work for our warriors. But one thing is for certain. If they're forced to leave our territory, they won't last another quarter moon."

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" Rowanstar's call reached them.

"Mistmeadow, if you wish to attend the meeting, I can keep the kits warm," Maggotstripe told the silver and white flecked she-cat.

"Oh, Maggotstripe. I couldn't leave these poor kits," Mistmeadow said. She licked at Bear's ears again.

Wanting to hear what Rowanstar had to say, Cottonclaw trotted outside. Rainfur followed him a few moments later. Cottonclaw spotted Meadowbreeze sitting down beside Smudgewing and Whiskerheart. The three of them greeted him with curious meows when he joined them.

"You were on the dawn patrol. Do you know what's happened?" Whiskerheart asked.

"You'll find out," Cottonclaw answered.

"I'm sorry to wake you all so early in the morning," Rowanstar began. "But the dawn patrol discovered a rogue queen and her kits on our territory."

"Did they chase her off?" Shadeclaw called out.

"No," Rowanstar went on. "The queen was very sick and died when they found her. But the patrol reported to me that, before she died, the queen gave them a prophecy from StarClan. She also pleaded with them to take care of her kits..."

"What?" Twigleaf hissed. "We can't take in a bunch of rogue kits! Even if their mother did give us a prophecy!"

Rowanstar flattened his ears. "Thunderstripe and I have already come to an agreement. We cannot ignore the queen's last request. It's obvious that StarClan sent her to us for a reason. Her three kits will be welcomed into ThunderClan. I know it is leaf-bare and it will be difficult with more mouths to feed, but the kits are nearly six moons old."

"You're going to apprentice them?" Skunkpelt asked excitedly. It was obvious that she was hoping to be a mentor.

"Not right away, but once they become accustomed to living with us, I will choose mentors for each of them," Rowanstar replied. "Thunderstripe and I do not want to toss the kits aside. All three are nothing but skin and bones, most likely because their sick mother could not hunt for them. If we turned them away now, they would not survive. I don't want that on our consciences.

"I haven't spoken to Maggotstripe yet, but I'm certain the kits will need extra attention until they are well again. Cloverpelt, since your kits are nearly ready to become apprentices, would you be willing to take charge over the three kits?"

Cloverpelt's sapphire blue eyes were full of worry. "Of course, Rowanstar."

"The kits will need a lot of fresh-kill!"

The Clan turned to see Maggotstripe sitting in the entrance of her den.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, Rowanstar. But fresh-kill is the most important thing for these kits right now," Maggotstripe went on. "I think it would be best to have a few specific warriors do all the hunting for the kits."

Rowanstar nodded. "If that is what you think is best, Maggotstripe. Are there any volunteers? I don't want to force anyone to do this."

"I will!" Smudgewing said, standing up.

"So will I," Cottonclaw said. He couldn't deny that there had been a strange connection between him and the little tortoiseshell she-cat he'd carried into the camp. It felt like it was his duty to help her get better.

"Me, too!" Meadowbreeze meowed. "If Cottonclaw helps, I want to help, too."

"Good," Rowanclaw said. "Thank you for volunteering. I'm sure the three of you will do well feeding our new Clanmates. You're all excellent hunters.

"I've been told that the three kits were called Bear, Sparrow, and Mouse by their mother. In her honor, I will keep the first parts of their names the same. From now on, the three kits will be known as Bearkit, Sparrowkit, and Mousekit.

"If our elders would be kind enough to take the rogue queen's body to be buried, I'm sure StarClan would be very happy. The queen called herself Uma, and I am sure her kits will miss her dearly.

"Now, I'm heading out on a hunting patrol. Silvermoon, Pureheart, Skunkpelt, will you join me, please? This meeting is over."

Cottonclaw watched his leader and father jump down from the Highledge. It felt strange to know that there were three new ThunderClan members, but he supposed it was because they hadn't been born into the Clan.

_I hope the others will treat them nicely_, he thought to himself. _I wonder what Ghostwind and Ashflower will think when they return home. What a surprise those kits will be!_

* * *

Later that day, Cottonclaw padded into camp with three mice dangling from his mouth. Stormtail, Palefur, and Shimmerpaw were trotting along behind him with the rest of the prey they'd caught during their hunt. As they were dropping their catch on the fresh-kill pile, Summerflower came racing over.

"Stormtail!" Summerflower meowed. She ran her nose along his cheek. "I have the best news! Maggotstripe told me we're having kits! Rowanstar announced it to the Clan while you were out hunting."

Stormtail let out a loud purr. "That _is_ the best news, Summerflower!"

Forestclaw walked over, his tail held high. "Hey, Stormtail. Congratulations. I can't wait to see your kits."

Summerflower twined her tail with Stormtail's. "They'll be strong, brave kits like you, Stormtail."

"And they'll be as beautiful as you, Summerflower," Stormtail purred.

Not wanting to see any more of the mates' cuddling, Cottonclaw went to check on the rogue kits he and the dawn patrol had found that morning. He doubted the kits would be awake after so little time in the camp. The poor scraps would probably be terrified when they finally woke up, and telling them their mother had passed on would be very difficult.

He nearly ran into Maggotstripe as he ducked into her den. She gave a little gasp and backed up a few pawsteps.

"Cottonclaw! I was about to fetch you," Maggotstripe said quietly. "I believe the kits are starting to wake up. I thought it would be best if you, Smudgewing, and Meadowbreeze fetched them some new fresh-kill."

Cottonclaw flicked his ears. "They can't be waking up already."

The she-cat glanced over her shoulder. "Perhaps the kits are stronger than we first thought. Can you go and fetch Smudgewing and Meadowbreeze and bring some fresh-kill?"

"Right away," Cottonclaw replied.

He ducked back out of the den and went in search of the two she-cats. He found them outside the warriors' den, sharing tongues. Whiskerheart was playing with Ebonykit and Tawnykit nearby. Cottonclaw guessed that Cloverpelt was out for a walk.

"Smudgewing, Meadowbreeze. Maggotstripe says the kits are waking up already. She wants us to fetch fresh-kill. I just came back from a hunting patrol, so the stuff on the pile should be fresh enough," Cottonclaw said.

Excitedly, the two she-cats jumped to their paws.

"I feel so sorry for those poor little kits," Meadowbreeze said as she and Smudgewing followed Cottonclaw over to the fresh-kill pile. "They must have had a rough life, what with their mother being sick and unable to take care of them properly."

Smudgewing dug her claws into a plump vole and dragged it out of the fresh-kill pile. "I'm sure that they'll do well in ThunderClan. They're young enough to adapt quickly to our way of life. I just wish we could have helped their mother, too."

They took the fresh-kill to Maggotstripe's den in silence. When they entered, it was to discover Maggotstripe sitting beside the three kits, who were all in one nest now. The three were just blinking their eyes open.

"I'm hungry!" Bearkit mewled loudly.

"Food!" the she-cat kit said, toppling out of the nest. She stumbled toward Cottonclaw and the others. All of her ribs showed through her tortoiseshell pelt.

"Steady there," Cottonclaw said, putting a paw out to catch Sparrowkit before she could fall over. "You're still very weak, little one."

She looked up at him with wide, light amber eyes. "You're the one who carried me!"

Cottonclaw blinked. "You were awake?"

Sparrowkit jumped on the mouse he'd brought. "No. Mother told me."

Maggotstripe gasped. Smudgewing and Meadowbreeze glanced at each other. Bearkit and Mousekit came stumbling over to pounce on the vole and mouse Smudgewing and Meadowbreeze had brought into the den.

"Sparrowkit, how did your mother tell you that I carried you here?" Cottonclaw asked softly, though he could probably guess her answer.

"She came to me in my dreams," Sparrowkit said, gnawing on the mouse. "This fur tastes icky! Can you help me, Cottonclaw?"

He wasn't surprised she already knew his name. Bending down, Cottonclaw shredded the mouse so that she could eat it. Smudgewing and Meadowbreeze did the same for Bearkit and Mousekit.

"Mother told me that me, Bear, and Mouse have to live here now because she can't take care of us," Sparrowkit went on. "She said she loves us, and she's gonna watch over us from the stars. And then she said we're gonna be called Sparrowkit, Bearkit, and Mousekit now and have to follow the warrior code and do whatever ThunderClan tells us to! And our new mother is Cloverpelt."

Cottonclaw couldn't believe the little she-cat could say all of this so calmly, as if her dead mother often visited her in her dreams.

_StarClan, you really must have sent these kits to us for some reason_, Cottonclaw thought to himself. _And from the sound of the prophecy that Uma gave us, it has something to do with the prophecy that sent Ghostwind and Ashflower away..._

* * *

Ghostwind jolted to his paws at the sound of a monster passing by. Water kicked up from the monster that had just flew by pelted him in the face. He spat and shook himself off. With his neck fur beginning to rise, Ghostwind looked around and tried to figure out where he was. The sun had set, but he could still see clouds writhing dangerously overhead, threatening to open up again and drench him even more than he already was.

"Don't worry, Ghostwind," an unfamiliar, husky voice said.

He turned to see a gray and silver tom walking toward him. The tom's amber eyes shown in the light emanating from a tall, stone tree obviously created by Twolegs. His thick fur was glittering like the stars Ghostwind could not see because of the storm.

"Who are you?" Ghostwind wondered. He didn't smell like a ThunderClan cat.

"My name is Stonetooth," the tom replied. "I was WindClan's medicine cat before Dovewing. I've come to show you where to find herbs for Moonmist."

A thrill went through Ghostwind. "Really? We'd be so grateful for your help."

The tom gestured at the Twoleg nest they were sitting in front of. "In the garden of this Twoleg nest, you will find all of the herbs needed to help Moonmist. Follow me to where you are sleeping beside the river, and remember the way here."

Ghostwind nodded quickly. "I'll remember."

He followed Stonetooth through the Twolegplace. It wasn't long before he could hear the gurgle of the river. Stonetooth led him right to the entrance of the bush they were using as a den until Moonmist got better.

"Before I leave you, Ghostwind, I must pass on a message. StarClan wishes for Ashflower to stay behind and take care of Moonmist. Your sister can learn from Ravenheart what herbs to use to help Moonmist. The rest of you must continue on to SkyClan."

"What?" Ghostwind spat. "I can't let my sister stay behind by herself!"

Stonetooth's amber eyes hardened. "If Ashflower does not stay behind now, SkyClan will not survive! Remember that you are not the only one who can see into the future, Ghostwind."

"Fine!" Ghostwind shouted.

"Ghostwind, are you okay?"

His sister's voice made him open his eyes. He looked around in the gloom of the den. Weak, morning sunlight broke through the den entrance. Ashflower was looking at him from a nest right beside him. At the back of the den, Moonmist was curled up between Tigerflame, Russetfrost, Fernstripe, and Ravenheart. Eaglefeather and Swanpool were missing.

Ashflower's eyes squinted at him. "You stupid furball! What were you thinking, shouting at a StarClan cat like that? For StarClan's sake, he used to be a medicine cat! You don't have to worry about me. I can take care of myself, thank you very much! And Stonetooth is right. I can learn what herbs to use very easily."

"What in StarClan's name are you two hissing about over there?" Tigerflame spat. "Moonmist needs her rest if we want her to get better, and with you two babbling over there..."

"Oh, shut up," Ashflower said. She surged up out of her den and flounced outside.

Ravenheart looked at Ghostwind worriedly. "Does she have ants in her fur?"

Ghostwind shook his head and followed his sister outside. The sky was still covered in thick, gray clouds, but the sun was shining through in some spots. He looked around and spotted Eaglefeather padding up with a mouse. Ashflower was nowhere to be seen.

"Morning," Eaglefeather said around the mouse. He dropped the fresh-kill inside a hollow tree trunk near the den. Ghostwind saw a few other pieces of fresh-kill tucked inside. "I just saw Ashflower storm off. What's going on?"

Ghostwind flicked his ears. "I was visited by WindClan's old medicine cat, Stonetooth, in my dreams. He showed me a Twoleg nest not too far away with herbs we can give Moonmist."

"That's great!" Eaglefeather said with a relieved sigh. "Let's get Ravenheart, and then we can go and..."

"Wait, Eaglefeather," Ghostwind interrupted. "Stonetooth told me that StarClan wants us to keep going."

Eaglefeather's whiskers twitched. "And leave Moonmist behind, as sick as she is?"

Ghostwind shook his head. "He told me that we must leave Ashflower behind to watch over Moonmist. She can learn useful herbs to use from Ravenheart."

"That's mouse-brained! Ashflower is a warrior, not a medicine cat. We should be leaving Ravenheart behind to take care of her!" Eaglefeather spat. "Is that why Ashflower seemed so upset? She doesn't want to get left behind, does she?"

Ghostwind hadn't thought of that. "I guess that might be part of it. But she read my mind and realized that I shouted at Stonetooth because I'm afraid of leaving her alone. She has it in her head that I think she can't take care of herself."

Swanpool came walking up just then, a thrush dangling from her jaws. She dropped it and looked at the two of them. "Are we talking about leaving Ashflower behind with Moonmist? I doubt she'll agree to that."

Eaglefeather sighed. "But StarClan told Ghostwind specifically that we must leave Ashflower behind. We can't ignore what StarClan requests of us."

Ghostwind unsheathed his claws and dug them into the damp soil. "Stonetooth said to me that SkyClan won't survive if we don't leave Ashflower behind."

Swanpool put her thrush on the fresh-kill pile. "Then we must leave Ashflower behind, no matter how much she dislikes it."

Ghostwind hated to admit it, but she was right. Even though he hated being separated from his sister, StarClan had said they must...or the Clan they were trying to save would not survive. He shook his head. "Fine. Ashflower will stay behind with Moonmist."

Eaglefeather sighed. "I'll go fetch Ashflower. Swanpool, why don't you take that thrush to the den? Moonmist might be awake."

Swanpool picked up her catch and trotted off. Without a word, Ghostwind prowled after her. He wanted to see how Moonmist was doing. He hoped the white WindClan she-cat was awake by now. It'd be easier for Ravenheart to find out how she was healing.

"That's a fine catch, Swanpool," Russetfrost commented as she dropped it at Ravenheart's paws.

Ghostwind sat down beside Moonmist. Her white fur was dry and fluffy once again, but he noticed her shiver despite having Tigerflame, Russetfrost, and Fernstripe pressed against her. He flicked his ears in surprise when Moonmist's blue eyes slowly opened.

"You're awake," Tigerflame whispered, licking Moonmist's ear. "Are you hungry, Moonmist?"

She raised her head, her eyes full of confusion. "What happened?" Ghostwind flinched when her voice came out dry and hoarse.

Tigerflame's ears flatted against his head. "The Twoleg dam broke. You got carried away in the water. I saved you, with Eaglefeather's help."

Moonmist's eyes widened. "I don't remember any of that." She pressed her nose to Tigerflame's cheek. "Thank you for saving me."

"I had StarClan to guide me," Tigerflame replied, flicking his tail softly over Moonmist's ears.

"Moonmist, you should eat," Ravenheart called gently. "We have some thrush here for you."

Tigerflame turned his head quickly. "You took out all the feathers, right? She's too weak to pluck them herself."

Ignoring his harsh tone, Ravenheart nodded. "Of course, the feathers have been removed."

Swanpool dropped chunks of thrush meat in front of Moonmist. "Here you go."

"Eat slowly, Moonmist," Ravenheart warned.

The entrance rustled. Eaglefeather and Ashflower appeared.

Ravenheart's ears perked up. "Ashflower! You found thyme!"

Ashflower dropped the bundle of herbs in her mouth. "Yes. And I've got tansy, poppy seeds, lavender, and feverfew."

Ravenheart sniffed at the herbs. Her blue eyes were bright with relief. "Where did you find all of this? It's so fresh!"

"Better thank Ghostwind. A medicine cat in StarClan showed him where to find herbs here in Twolegplace," Ashflower replied, not looking at her brother. "I thought, since I'm staying behind with Moonmist, I might as well get some herbs now."

"Staying behind?" Ravenheart shook her head. "Who said you were staying behind? If anyone is staying behind, it's me!"

Ashflower opened her mouth to say something, but Ghostwind cut her off.

"No, Ravenheart. You need to continue with the rest of us," Ghostwind said. "Ashflower has learned enough from you to know how to take care of Moonmist by herself. When Moonmist has recovered, they can catch up to us."

Ashflower turned surprised eyes on her brother. She bowed her head and looked down at her paws. _Thank you, Ghostwind. I know you'll worry about me, but I'll be worrying about you, too_, she said in his head.

Tigerflame sat up. "I'm not leaving Moonmist."

Moonmist, who was cleaning her whiskers after finishing the thrush, turned to the ShadowClan tom. "Yes, you are. You have to keep going with the others, Tigerflame."

The stubborn tom shook his head. "Ashflower can't take care of you all alone!"

Ghostwind hissed. "Ashflower can, and she will. StarClan says it must be that way!"

Ravenheart sighed, her ears flat. "Then Ashflower and Moonmist must remain here. If StarClan told you that's how it must be, we cannot do otherwise."

Tigerflame spat. "I won't leave her!"

Russetfrost butted his head against his brother's flank. "Tigerflame, everyone is in agreement. We have to keep going."

With a snarl, Tigerflame lurched out of the den. Moonmist watched him go with a sad look in her eyes.

Eaglefeather glanced at everyone. "I guess we should get ready to go, then."

Fernstripe stood up. "I haven't eaten."

Ghostwind's stomach rumbled. "Neither have I."

"Finish the thrush," Moonmist croaked. "I'm done with it."

Ravenheart and Ashflower divided up the thrush between those who hadn't eaten. They saved some for Tigerflame.

"Time to go," Eaglefeather said when all but Tigerflame's share of the thrush was eaten.

"Good-bye, Moonmist. Rest as much as you can, so you can catch up to us. Take good care of her, Ashflower," Fernstripe said. "I'll go take this to Tigerflame." She picked up the last of the thrush and disappeared outside.

Ghostwind waited for the others to say their good-byes and head outside before he approached his sister and Moonmist, who were now sharing the same nest.

"Good-bye, Moonmist. Ashflower is going to take really good care of you," Ghostwind said.

"I know," Moonmist meowed tiredly.

"Be careful, Ashflower," Ghostwind went on, turning to his sister. "I don't want anything to happen to you."

She touched his cheek with her nose. "Don't worry about us, Ghostwind. Moonmist and I will be fine."

"You better go before the others leave without you." Moonmist swept her tail toward the exit.

"Good-bye," Ghostwind whispered one last time before turning his back on his kin.

_Please, StarClan. Look out for them..._

_

* * *

_

**End of Chapter Twelve**_  
_


	15. Chapter 13

**Author's Notes:** Sorry for the sort-of short chapter here. I ended the chapter this way because I wanted to. Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 13**

* * *

_It was sunhigh when Fernstripe forced them to stop. The LightClan she-cat was panting heavily._ Ravenheart looked at her worriedly, but Fernstripe shook her head at the medicine cat.

"I'm just tired," Fernstripe panted. "Let me rest for a little."

Ghostwind's stomach clenched with hunger. They hadn't eaten much before starting off this morning. Maybe some food would help Fernstripe.

Eaglefeather was obviously thinking the same. "Let's hunt. Fernstripe, you stay put. I'll bring you something."

"Thank you," Fernstripe panted.

Ghostwind went off by himself to hunt. As he searched for prey scent, he wondered how Ashflower and Moonmist were doing. He prayed to StarClan for their safety once again. If they were found by a dog from the surrounding Twolegplace, he doubted Ashflower could keep it from finding Moonmist for long.

"You should have more faith in us," a familiar meow said.

He turned to see Hollyleaf sitting on the roots of a nearby tree. The StarClan cat's pelt was flat and well-groomed.

Ghostwind's neck fur bristled. "What do you want?"

She blinked her eyes slowly. "Fernstripe needs herbs for her shortness of breath. You will find some further along the river. But be careful. Twolegs are inspecting the broken dam."

"Thank you," Ghostwind mumbled. He turned away to find a mouse scent trail. He didn't bother to look back as he trotted away; he knew Hollyleaf was already gone.

After catching the rather skinny mouse, he ate quickly and headed back to where Fernstripe and the others were waiting. Fernstripe was having trouble eating the mouse Eaglefeather had caught for her. Ghostwind grew concerned when he realized the she-cat's sides were heaving as she dragged in every breath.

Ravenheart was worriedly twitching her tail as she sat beside Fernstripe. "Perhaps you should go back to Ashflower and Moonmist, Fernstripe."

Ghostwind stepped forward. "Ravenheart, StarClan just told me where to find herbs that will help Fernstripe."

Tigerflame's tail lashed through the air. "This is ridiculous! It's as if something is trying to keep us from reaching SkyClan! Every time we turn around, something else happens to slow us down!"

Russetfrost touched his brother's shoulder with his tail-tip. "Calm down, Tigerflame. We have no control over what happens, so it's no use getting angry. Save your energy."

Tigerflame growled and curled his tail around his paws.

"Come on, Ravenheart," Ghoswind said. "The faster we get the herbs, the faster we can get going again."

The medicine cat nodded and let him take the lead. They were well out of earshot of the others before Ravenheart spoke.

"I'm troubled, Ghostwind," she said. "Why are StarClan confiding in you on where to find herbs? I may not be a part of the prophecy we're following, but I'm still a medicine cat."

Ghostwind shook his head. "I have no clue, Ravenheart. StarClan works in mysterious ways."

"Yes, they do," she agreed.

"I should warn you. Hollyleaf told me to watch out for Twolegs," Ghostwind told her.

She twitched her ears. "Hopefully they won't block us from getting to the herbs for Fernstripe."

Ghostwind looked around at the trees. "You know, Tigerflame is right. We're being held up by too many things."

Ravenheart's blue eyes filled with dread. "I hate to admit it, but I agree with him, too. Ever since we reached the Twolegplace, I've felt as if something was forcing things to stall us."

"Like the dam breaking?" Ghostwind twisted his ears toward the water flowing to their left.

"And Angelina's death," Ravenheart added. "Her horrible, twisted death. Seeing her like that really frightened me, Ghostwind."

The fur on his neck rose. "Me too, Ravenheart. But I don't think any of us were more shocked by it than Fernstripe."

"I think she was more shocked to see firsthand a murder strike her Clanmates told her stories about," Ravenheart meowed. "I've been thinking about Franchesca. She and you can both see into the future."

"Yes," Ghostwind said, not sure where the medicine cat apprentice was going with this.

"How come neither of you saw Angelina's death?" Ravenheart whispered.

Ghostwind paused. Ravenheart stopped and looked back at him curiously.

"We can't stop death, Ravenheart," Ghostwind said, looking down at his paws. "I'm actually happy that I didn't see it happen before it did."

"Do you think Franchesca saw it happen before it did?" Ravenheart's eyes were wide.

He shook his head. "If she did, she must have kept quiet. Even if she'd warned Angelina of what was to come, the outcome would have been the same."

"I'm sorry I brought it up," Ravenheart whispered.

"It's okay," Ghostwind said. "Let's go find those herbs."

It was only a few minutes later when they heard the sound of Twoleg babble up ahead. The two of them looked around, trying to determine where the Twolegs were. They crept through the trees, trying to remain as silent as possible so they wouldn't alert the Twolegs.

"Do you see any useful herbs around?" Ghostwind suddenly wished Ashflower was with them. She could easily help Ravenheart find the right herbs.

The medicine cat apprentice bounded off to their right. "Here! This coltsfoot is perfect. Help me collect some leaves, please."

Diligently, the two of them gnawed leaves from the plants. Ravenheart gathered them up and gingerly held them between her teeth. She motioned with her tail to indicate he could lead the way back to the others.

Ghostwind knew something was wrong the moment he saw the others. Eaglefeather's siler eyes were wide with terror as he ran toward them.

"She's having a lot of trouble breathing!" he cried out.

They raced to Fernstripe. She was lying on her side, wheezing loudly as she struggled for every breath. Swanpool lay beside her with her fur on end. Russetfrost looked lost, and Tigerflame was pacing restlessly, his claws unsheathed.

Ravenheart began to chew up the coltsfoot. She spat the pulp onto a paw and tried to get Fernstripe to eat it, but the she-cat couldn't swallow. "Please, Fernstripe!" Ravenheart wailed.

"She said it felt like someone was pressing their paws their her chest," Eaglefeather moaned.

Ravenheart turned to Ghostwind. Her eyes were so wide they looked like two blue moons in her dark face. "I don't know what else to do. Her throat is clear. She's not choking on anything!"

_It's as if something is trying to keep us from reaching SkyClan! _Tigerflame's words echoed in Ghostwind's head. Were all of these events related, somehow? Bosco attacking them so viciously...Angelina's gruesome death...the dam breaking and catching Moonmist in it's wake...and now Fernstripe struggling to breathe. Was there any connection?

_Bosco was angry because he found out Fernstripe came from LightClan, who used to be DarkClan_m, he thought. _Angelina was killed by a technique known by the old DarkClan cats...Great StarClan! Is that the connection? Is the old DarkClan somehow behind this?_

Swanpool gave a sob. Fernstripe's breaths were getting more shallow. Ravenheart was rapidly whispering remedies to herself, trying to think of another way to help Fernstripe. Eaglefeather was looking at the heaving she-cat, his eyes wide and glazed over.

"Ravenheart can't fix this," a familiar voice said. Ghostwind looked up to see a white tom sitting beside Fernstripe's head.

"Ghostlight," Ghostwind whispered.

"Magick did this. And only magick can stop it," Ghostlight said. He touched his tail to Fernstripe's cheek. "You'd better hurry."

"What? I don't know any magick!" Ghostwind yelped. The others gave him funny looks.

"Some know how to harness it. Others do not. I will stop your follower. Save your friend, Ghostwind. You weren't named after me for nothing."

The white tom disappeared.

"Ghostwind! Are you okay?" Ravenheart demanded.

"I know how to save Fernstripe. I have to use magick," Ghostwind blurted out.

"And how are you going to do that?" Tigerflame wondered.

"I have no idea," Ghostwind replied.

Tigerflame sneered at his words. "You'd better hurry, or we'll be stopping to hury a dead body soon."

"Tigerflame!" Russetfrost snapped.

Eaglefeather stared at Ghostwind. "Come on! There must be some magick you can do!"

Ghostwind shuddered. He looked at Fernstripe. Her eyes were squeezed shut. Every breath seemed to cause her pain as she gulped in air. Was he really her only hope? Suddenly, her breathing stopped. Her eyes flew open and her mouth gaped open.

"Fernstripe!" Eaglefeather screamed.

"Breath!" Ghostwind squeezed his eyes shut and shouted, but the word that rushed from his lips was in magick tongue.

He opened his eyes again to see Fernstripe struggling to her paws. The she-cat's eyes were wide as she gulped in lungfuls of precious air.

"Thank StarClan!" Eaglefeather howled. He pressed his nose to Fernstripe's forehead. "Are you okay?"

She swallowed before saying, "What _was_ that?"

The others all turned to look at Ghostwind. He sighed and looked down at his paws.

"Tigerflame was right. We had someone following us. They were using magick to cause all of those bad things," he explained.

"No. Not all," Fernstripe said, her voice raspy. She leaned heavily on Eaglefeather's shoulder. "Whoever killed Angelina didn't use magick."

"How do you know?" Ravenheart asked.

"You saw her. Magick would have severed her head cleanly, but you could see the claw and teeth marks," Fernstripe whispered. She shuddered at the memory.

"If someone is following us, we should find them and stop them," Tigerflame hissed.

"No. Ghostlight said he would take care of whoever is following us," Ghostwind said. "Which means we shouldn't have any more trouble reaching SkyClan."

"Fernstripe needs to rest before we continue," Ravenheart said. "Can you eat now, Fernstripe?"

They rested for the rest of the day. When Ghostwind and Ravenheart told the others about the Twolegs they'd seen up ahead, Eaglefeather decided they should continue onward in the night as far as they could. Twolegs usually didnt' come out late at night.

Eaglefeather trotted beside Fernstripe until her stride strengthened. They whispered to one another as they walked, making Ghostwind miss Ashflower again. She would have figured out how to help Fernstripe long before he had. He didn't doubt she would have made the connection between all of the bad events sooner, too.

The sun's rays were peeking over the horizon when they stopped. As they'd predicted, they hadn't met any Twolegs.

"Let's get some sleep," Eaglefeather said with a yawn.

They all curled into hastily made nests under a beech tree and went to sleep.

The smell of fish woke Ghostwind later that morning. He lifted his head to see a dripping wet Eaglefeather dropping a second fish in front of Swanpool, who licked her lips hungrily.

"Isn't that a lovely smell to wake up to," Tigerflame grumbled, sliding out of his nest in a luxurious stretch.

Eaglefeather shook himself, spraying them all with drops of water.

"Watch it!" Tigerflame sneered.

"Good to see you back to your normal, cheery self," Eaglefeather meowed before lying down next to his sister to eat.

"How are you feeling, Fernstripe?" Ravenheart asked.

"Much better, thank you," the LightClan she-cat replied.

"You should all eat. We need to get going again," Eaglefeather said.

After a quick meal, they were ready to set off once again.

"Do you think Ashflower and Moonmist will have trouble finding us again?" Tigerflame wondered.

"No. And if they do, I'm sure StarClan will help them in the right direction," Ravenheart said confidently.

The group was silent again. Ghostwind noticed the Twoleg nests were becoming fewer. By the time it was sunhigh, they found themselves back in the wilderness. Bright sunlight filtered down through the leaves. Birds chirped and squirrels chattered up in the branches. Everything seemed calm and peaceful.

"It's nice to be back out of Twolegplace," Fernstripe said. The she-cat seemed to have gained back all of her strength.

"Yeah. No more stench from Twoleg paths," Tigerflame agreed.

"No more Twolegs to worry about, either!" Russetfrost added.

Ghostwind suddenly caught the smell of scent markers. He stopped, and the others stopped as well.

"SkyClan, you think?" Ravenheart whispered, suddenly tense.

"There are multiple scent markers from multiple cats," Russetfrost said.

"Who else could it be?" Swanpool looked around cautiously.

They were quiet for a moment.

"Well, what now? Do we wait for a patrol? Do they even _have_ patrols?" Tigerflame twitched his tail impatiently.

"Wait. Didn't the story say that SkyClan lived in a gorge of some sort?" Ravenheart pointed out. "This is a forest."

"Like they'd find much prey in a gorge?" Tigerflame scoffed. "They probably hunt in the forest."

"Which might mean they do fewer patrols," Russetfrost said. "A gorge and a forest? Sounds like a lot of ground to cover."

"Then what do we do?" Eaglefeather asked.

Ghostwind didn't feel like sitting and arguing about it any longer. "Let's cross into their territory. Try to look nonthreatening."

"Whatever you say," Tigerflame grumbled.

Slowly, they crossed the scent border and headed in a straight line through the forest. Nothing changed. The birds and squirrels continued their chirping and chittering. Leaves fluttered to the ground from above as they lost their hold on their branches.

"Stop right there!" a bold, feminine voice boomed, making them all jump.

They froze and watched a black she-cat come prowling toward them, a smaller dark gray and silver she-cat following. Ghostwind guessed the smaller she-cat was an apprentice. When the black she-cat got close, Ghostwind recognized her from his dreams.

"Greetings, Darkbreeze. We come in peace" Ghostwind said, bowing his head.

Darkbreeze's light brown eyes narrowed. "Who are you? How do you know my name?"

"We were sent here by StarClan to help you," Ghostwind replied. "We've traveled a long way to get here."

"Great StarClan!" Darkbreeze's eyes widened. "Mountainpaw, go and fetch Squirrelflower at once!"

The gray she-cat darted away.

"Mosspelt was right," Darkbreeze whispered. "She told us strangers would come. But sent to us by StarClan? To help us? This is unbelievable!"

"Then you do need our help?" Ravenheart blinked.

"Squirrelflower will explain. She acts as our leader thorugh these...extraordinary circumstances," Darkbreeze said.

A twig cracked. They turned to see a cream she-cat with light brown spots and strikingly pretty, sky blue eyes being led over by Mountainpaw. A brown tom with a white chest and face and light amber eyes followed close behind the spotted she-cat.

"Greetings," the spotted she-cat said. "Mountainpaw, please go back to camp."

Looking disappointed, Mountainpaw trotted off once more.

"I am Squirrelflower, leader of SquirrelClan," the spotted she-cat said. "This is my deputy, Roughpine." She motioned to the brown tom with her tail. "Mountainpaw informed us that you were sent here by StarClan to help us. Is that correct?"

"That's correct," Ghostwind nodded.

The she-cat's eyes filled with relief. "Thank you. We need more able-bodied fighters. Our Clan is split in half, and we are being attacked by a pack of dogs."

"Why are you split in half?" Ravenheart wondered.

The she-cat's eyes filled with defiance. Her muscles rippled beneath her coat, and Ghostwind noticed strength in her hind legs. "My mate, Whiskerstar, accused me of something I did not do. I asked the members of our Clan that knew I was innocent to follow me into the forest. We have been split for several moons. I refuse to return until Whiskerstar apologizes.

"Right now, both sides of our separated Clan are being attacked by a pack of dogs. The pack is not your average pack, either. They are coordinated in their attacks on us. We have already lost a few members to their viciousness."

"What was the Clan's name before it split?" Ghostwind asked, wanting to make sure they'd finally found the right cats.

"SkyClan. We were known as SkyClan," Squirrelflower replied.

* * *

**End of Chapter Thirteen**

* * *

**Author Notes:** Finally! It seemed to take me _forever_ to get them to finally meet up with SkyClan! I didn't realize that all of this would take up nearly 80 pages of the 100 pages I wanted to fill. Oh, well. The story will just have to be a bit (or more than a bit) longer than intended. But you readers don't have a problem with that, do you? Hopefully not!


	16. Chapter 14

**Author's Notes:** Oops! I really thought I'd uploaded more recently. I thought 14 and 15 were up already. Well, I suppose you readers don't mind! That's three new chapters for you to read than just the one I thought it was going to be! Please, enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Warriors, but I do own the characters and plot of this story. Please don't use them.

**

* * *

Chapter 14

* * *

**

_Squirrelflower led them to SquirrelClan's camp. The entrance, hidden by tendrils of thorns, was in a thick thorn bush. Roughpine_ pulled back the tendrils to reveal the entrance, and Squirrelflower ducked inside. One by one, Ghostwind and the others ducked down and followed the she-cat.

When they reached the other end of the short tunnel, they were greeted by a large, flat expanse of dirt. Grass grew around the edges of the camp. There were a few boulders in spots that would be lit by sun nearly all day, and from where he stood Ghostwind could see a cave tucked into a pile of boulders to their left. He assumed that would be where Squirrelflower slept. Trees towered all around the thorny walls of the camp. A log had fallen over onto one of the boulders, creating a small den inside. Three, young cats were sitting in front of the den. One of them was Mountainpaw. A group of larger cats was seated at the entrance of a holly bush, which must serve as the warriors' den.

Without a word to Ghostwind or the others, Squirrelflower bounded up the pile of boulders to their left. "Cats of SquirrelClan, gather beneath the Boulderpile for a Clan meeting!"

Hesitantly, their eyes glancing suspiciously at Ghostwind and his friends, the cats moved forward to sit beneath Squirrelflower. To Ghostwind, they looked scrawny and downtrodden. With the dog pack that Squirrelflower told them about running around the area, the prey was probably scarce in the forest.

"My fellow Clanmates, I beg of you to listen," Squirrelflower called. "These cats that I have brought into camp are here to help us. They have been sent to us by StarClan, to aide us against the dogs!"

A brown tabby tom stepped forward. His yellow eyes were dull with weariness. "How do we know they tell the truth? How do we know they are not sent to us as a trick by WhiskerClan?"

Ghostwind's mouth fell open in surprise. Was SkyClan separation this horrid that the cats actually suspected each other of trickery and treachery?

Squirrelflower hissed. "They are not sent to us from WhiskerClan! Remember Mosspelt's words that we would be visited by strangers!"

"How do we know these are the strangers she told us about?" a gray she-cat with a black face, black legs, and silver-blue eyes asked. She placed her tail on Mountainpaw's shoulder.

Ghostwind stepped forward. He glanced up at Squirrelflower. "Do you mind?"

Squirrelflower glanced at him. She flicked her tail at her Clanmates to indicate he could speak to them.

The cats all turned to stare at Ghostwind. He took a deep breath before saying, "_A winded ghost, a flaming tiger, an eagle's feather, a fern of green, and a blazing moon shall come together. Their destinies entwine to heal a love divine. The sunhigh sky is split in two, and the morning dew will give a clue. Follow the ancient path of the river to find the sky, or all shall watch the sky die._"

The few cats there began whispering to one another.

"What does that mean?" a white she-cat with a cream nose and tail and light blue eyes wondered, looking at Ghostwind curiously.

"My name is Ghostwind. I come from ThunderClan," he replied. This caused more whispering. "I am the winded ghost from the prophecy I just told you." He began to flick his tail at the others. "That is Tigerflame, the flaming tiger. Eaglefeather, the eagle's feather. Fernstripe, the fern of green. Moonmist is the blazing moon, but we had to leave her behind with another one of our companions after she nearly drowned when the Twoleg dam broke in the river we were following." He then nodded to Swanpool and Ravenheart. "This is Swanpool, Eaglefeather's sister, and Ravenheart, ThunderClan's medicine cat apprentice. We've all traveled a great length to reach you, so that we may help you, as StarClan has asked us to."

Squirrelflower opened her eyes, which she had closed when Ghostwind had begun to speak. "You here his words! Do you doubt him now, my Clanmates? Ghostwind and his friends are here to help us! They have my permission to stay in camp and hunt in our forest. Does anyone not agree to this?"

Nobody said anything.

"Good. Then I believe introductions are in order," Squirrelflower said. She looked down at Ghostwind and the others. "You already know me and my deputy. The cats who found you in our forest are Darkbreeze, and her apprentice, Mountainpaw.

"The tabby tom there is Brackenmask," Squirrelflower said, flicking her tail at the brown tabby tom who had first stepped forward. "His apprentice is Tanglepaw, there." She motioned to a cream she-cat who had a dark cream-striped tail, white face, and very light amber eyes. "Blueheart and Leafclaw are my sisters." She motioned to the white she-cat with the cream nose and tail and light blue eyes and the cream and white she-cat with dark amber eyes sitting beside her. "That is Runningstream." She pointed out the gray she-cat with the black face, black legs, and silver-blue eyes. "The others are rogues who have joined us here because of the dogs. That is Orion." She twisted her ears at the sleek, black tom with the yellow eyes. He was sitting alone at the edge of the group. "Poppy." A very pretty, brown tabby she-cat with very pretty, blue eyes nodded her head. "And Lan." The gray tabby she-cat with brown eyes also nodded.

"Thank you for letting us stay here in your camp," Eaglefeather said. "We will help you in any way that we can, including border and hunting patrols."

Squirrelflower's whiskers twitched. "I wish I could say that would not be necessary, but we need the help. It is difficult to patrol our borders often with so few cats."

"That's understandable," Ghostwind said with a nod. "Why don't we go on a patrol now, so that we know the extent of your territory?"

Squirrelflower nodded in agreement. "Roughpine, take Brackenmask and Tanglepaw out to show our guests our territory. This meeting is over."

Roughpine waited for Brackenmask and Tanglepaw to join them before leading the way back out of the camp.

"It can't be easy, being separated from part of your Clan," Tigerflame said when the camp disappeared behind them. "Especially with dogs in the area."

Roughpine nodded slowly. "It is difficult. Some of us have kin in WhiskerClan. Our medicine cat, Mosspelt, must spend her time traveling between our two Clans. We sent Sweetleaf back to the gorge when she was getting close to having her kits. Mosspelt and her apprentice, Volepaw, spend most of their time in WhiskerClan now."

"And with the dogs around now, it's even more difficult," Brackenmask said. "Especially worrying about whether or not they've taken any cats from WhiskerClan without us knowing. We could have lost kin and don't even know it."

"We lost two cats just a half-moon ago," Roughpine said. He glanced at Brackenmask and Tanglepaw. "Brackenmask and Leafclaw lost Hawkpaw, their only son. His mentor, Olivepelt, tried to save him, but both of them had injuries too severe to recover from."

"That's so sad," Ravenheart whispered. "I'm sorry for your loss, Brackenmask."

The tom nodded wearily in response.

They were quiet the rest of the time, unless Roughpine had something to say about the trees or boulders or bushes that marked the edges of SquirrelClan's territory. The sun was slipping behind the trees by the time they returned to the camp.

Darkbreeze came forward when she saw them enter. She motioned at a small pile of fresh-kill beside one of the boulders strewn about camp. "There is enough left for you to share. It's all we have to offer."

"Thank you," Ghostwind said.

They padded over to the pile to find two mice and a plump thrush. Ghostwind turned to see that Roughpine and Darkbreeze had followed them over.

"Who caught the thrush?" Roughpine wondered.

"Leafclaw," Darkbreeze replied tiredly. "It was an impressive catch."

Roughpine nodded. "Please, eat. You all need to keep your strength up."

"Are you not going to eat?" Ravenheart wondered as Eaglefeather pulled apart the thrush to make enough portions to feed them all.

"I've already eaten today," Roughpine replied.

Tigerflame licked his lips, having already finished his portion. "We'd better go hunting tomorrow, then. You don't catch much prey."

"Tigerflame," Russetfrost said warningly.

"It's leaf-bare," Swanpool reminded the irritable ShadowClan tom. "Prey will be scare."

Roughpine and Darkbreeze glanced at each other.

"Yes. Leaf-bare means less prey," Roughpine admitted. "But with the dogs in the area, we catch even less prey than usual. We let the apprentices eat more than we do, since they're still young. But most of us only eat a few mouthfuls a day. You won't be getting any big feasts while you're here."

"Roughpine!" Squirrelflower's voice called from the Boulderpile. "We need to speak."

"Excuse me," Roughpine said with a nod.

Darkbreeze watched him go. She turned back to the others. "Let me show you our warriors' den, where you'll be sleeping." She looked at Ravenheart. "I'm sorry, but we don't have a medicine cat's den. If Mosspelt or Volepaw ever stay the night here, they usually sleep in the warriors' den with us."

"That's okay," Ravenheart said. "How often does Mosspelt visit? I'd like to meet her."

Darkbreeze shrugged. "If we need her, we usually send Mountainpaw or Tanglepaw to fetch her. Other than that, the only time she ever comes is if she decides to."

The dark cat paused in front of the warriors' den entrance in the holly bush. "While Roughpine and the others were showing you around, Mountainpaw and I collected moss for your nests. Leafclaw and Blueheart went out to hunt for your meal."

"Thank you for your hospitality," Ghostwind meowed.

Darkbreeze nodded. "Thank you. For coming here to help us, I mean." She flattened her ears. "We were beginning to lose hope." She gave a sigh. "I'm sure you're tired after your journey. Please, go ahead and sleep. Your nests are tucked into the back."

"Thank you," Ghostwind said again before slipping inside with the others close behind him.

The den was warm and smelled of the SkyClan cats. They found a group of moss nests in the back with fainter scents on them.

"This is so kind of them," Ravenheart said as she curled up.

Ghostwind stretched out beside her before curling up so his back was pressed to hers. "Yes. I feel bad for them having to feed and give us room in their den."

"How can you feel bad? We're planning on helping them, aren't we? It's the least they can do to reward us for helping them," Tigerflame grumbled, placing his tail over his nose.

"We don't need a reward, Tigerflame," Eaglefeather spat. "We are following the destinies StarClan chose for us. Knowing that we're following their guidance should be reward enough."

Tigerflame raised his head. "Some destiny this is! Trudging through unknown wilderness, through Twolegplaces, running from sheep and water! It's amazing any of us made it to our destination in the first place!"

Swanpool glared at Tigerflame. "Just because you're angry you didn't get to stay behind with Moonmist doesn't mean you can take it out on us, Tigerflame. I'm sick and tired of listening to you complain."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Tigerflame hissed.

"We all can see that you and Moonmist are closer than two cats from different Clans should be!" Swanpool snapped.

Ghostwind noticed Eaglefeather glance at Fernstripe, who was staring at Swanpool with surprise.

"That...that's none of your business," Tigerflame said.

"Really? Then whose business is it?" Swanpool demanded.

"Swanpool, what's gotten into you?" Eaglefeather asked hesitantly.

She grunted at her brother. "I'm just tired of listening to Tigerflame whine about everything. I didn't have to come on this journey, but I did. And do any of you see me complaining like Tigerflame?"

"You're complaining right now!" Tigerflame scoffed.

Swanpool spat. "I'm going to sleep!" She curled into a tight ball and covered her ears with her tail.

Eaglefeather gave them all apologetic looks before curling up beside his sister.

Ghostwind sighed. It was going to be harder to save SkyClan than he thought.

* * *

"Cottonclaw. Cottonclaw, please wake up."

Cottonclaw struggled to open his eyes. He'd been out hunting all afternoon to gather fresh-kill for Sparrowkit and her brothers. The three kits were eating like he'd never seen a cat eat. He'd been glad that Meadowbreeze and Smudgewing were there to help him; he didn't think he would have caught enough fresh-kill to satisfy the three, starving kits. All three had returned to camp, paws weary and dragging, to fall asleep in their nests.

He looked up to see Cedarspirit seated beside him. The tom's yellow eyes were filled with worry. Cottonclaw struggled to sit up.

"What is it, Cedarspirit?" Cottonclaw whispered. He looked toward the entrance of the den to see that it was the middle of the night.

Cedarspirit took a deep breath. "Lightning needs us. Do you not hear the cries?"

Cottonclaw twitched his ears, straining to hear something in the cold, night air. He shook his head quickly. "What are you talking about, Cedarspirit?"

"Lightning needs us," Cedarspirit replied, sounding like a cat possessed.

With a sigh, Cottonclaw swept his tail toward the entrance. "Lead the way, Cedarspirit."

Cottonclaw followed his brother's mentor out into the night. He didn't see a night guard, but he remembered that Cedarspirit had been chosen to be night guard tonight. The ginger tom's pelt was glowing in the moonlight. He led Cottonclaw straight out of the camp and through the quiet, sleeping forest.

Frost covered the ground in scattered patterns. Cottonclaw slipped a few times as Cedarspirit led him over slick puddles that had turned to ice. They continued through the forest to the edge of one of their borders. Cottonclaw paused only briefly before following Cedarspirit over the border and into the unknown forest.

"Cedarspirit, where are we going?" Cottonclaw whispered.

"Lightning needs us," the tom replied.

Was Cedarspirit sleepwalking? Cottonclaw had never seen a cat sleepwalk before, but the tom certainly didn't sound like himself tonight.

Just then, Cottonclaw heard a rough cry wrench through the air. The sound made him cringe more in empathy than in surprise. Something was hurting out there. Was is Lightning?

They stepped out into a small clearing illuminated by the moon above. Cottonclaw's ears came forward as another cry echoed into the night. Suddenly, two pinpricks of light appeared as Lightning turned and the moonlight caught his eyes. Cottonclaw gasped when he saw the figure the fox was crouched over. It was another fox, its neck trapped in a Twoleg trap.

"Please! Help her!" Lightning called. The fox's entire pelt stood on end.

Cedarspirit and Cottonclaw ran over. Cottonclaw glanced over the trap. The shiny, thin part was wrapped around the vixen's neck. It looked as if she'd been struggling for some time. The shiny Twoleg trap was embedded in her neck now, and blood welled up all around it.

"You must stop struggling," Cedarspirit whispered.

The vixen's eyes widened as Lightning translated to her what Cedarspirit had said. She stopped moving, but her sides heaved as she struggled for breath.

Cottonclaw realized that trap was attached to a stick shoved deep into the ground. If they took out that stick, would it free the poor fox?

"Dig, Cedarspirit!" Cottonclaw said, clawing at the dirt around the stick.

"Tell her to keep still!" Cedarspirit said to Lightning as he began to help Cottonclaw dig.

The two of them panted as they dug, deeper and faster. The stick began to move as they removed the dirt holding it in the ground. The vixen cried out in pain as the trap began to loosen. With a last few pawfuls of dirt gone, the stick flung out of the ground.

"The trap is loose, but that shiny stuff is still stuck around her neck," Lightning said.

Cedarspirit examined it. "We may be able to chew it off, but it would be a good idea to get Maggotstripe."

Cottonclaw flattened his ears. "How are we going to keep this from Rowanstar?"

Cedarspirit turned back to Cottonclaw. "We won't. It's time to tell Rowanstar about the voices. Lightning and I have talked, Cottonclaw. When he goes, I will go with him. I've found my destiny, Cottonclaw. And it's time that I followed it."

* * *

"Let me see if I understand this," Rowanstar said. "You want to _leave_, Cedarspirit? Because you're hearing voices that don't come from StarClan?"

Cedarspirit and Cottonclaw were speaking with their leader in his den above the Highledge. Rowanstar had asked them both to follow him inside so they could explain what had happened with the vixen last night. Cedarspirit had explained how he'd been hearing voices, but it seemed that Rowanstar was having trouble understanding.

"They don't come from StarClan, but they are coming from spirits," Cedarspirit explained again. "The spirits of foxes who have passed on."

Rowanstar shook his head. "It just doesn't make sense. Why must you leave?"

"Like I said, the Voices are asking me to help those who need my help," the ginger tom replied. "I can't do that if I remain here."

"Help those who need help," Rowanstar repeated. "Like you helped the vixen last night?"

Cedarspirit nodded. "Just like that. The Voices guide me to whoever needs my help, and I help them."

Cottonclaw remembered something that Ghostwind had said about his visions. Ghostwind couldn't save anyone from death because death was something not to be messed with. Did that apply to Cedarspirit's Voices as well?

"I have a question," Cottonclaw said.

"Go ahead." Rowanstar nodded.

"Ghostwind sees the future, but he can't help anyone who is going to die," Cottonclaw said. "You can't save anyone from death, either, can you?"

Cedarspirit took a moment before he answered. "No. I cannot save someone who is dying. I can help those left behind to grieve for their lost loved ones, if they need me. But the Voices will only send me to those they know I can help."

_Won't Ghostwind be delighted to hear that_, Cottonclaw thought sarcastically. _He gets stuck seeing things he may or may not be able to do something about, while Cedarspirit only goes where he can succeed._

Rowanstar sighed. "When do you think you'll be leaving, Cedarspirit?"

"When Lightning decides to go, I will go with him," he answered. "He's agreed to teach me how to speak fox."

"Speak fox? You're learning how to speak fox?" Rowanstar flicked his ears. "That's...unusual." He paused, as if thinking about it. "Are you learning fox because you think it will help you...help others, like you're saying you want to do?"

"Yes, Rowanstar," Cedarspirit replied.

Rowanstar was quiet for some time before he spoke again. "Cedarspirit, if you really feel you must leave, I won't stop you," Rowanstar said. "But you must know that you will be missed."

The ginger tom nodded sadly. "Cloverpelt will not be happy with me."

Rowanstar sighed. "She is your sister. If no one else understands why you are doing this, she will. You may go, Cedarspirit. Please find Thunderstripe and send him in."

With a nod, Cedarspirit left.

"You've been hiding secrets from me again, Cottonclaw," Rowanstar commented.

"I'm sorry, Rowanstar," Cottonclaw said, bowing his head.

Rowanstar chuckled. "You have nothing to be ashamed of. Keeping secrets seems to run in our family. I just hope you never get caught in any secrets that will damage your good reputation."

Cottonclaw flicked his ears. "I'll try to stay away from those kinds of secrets, then." He knew his father was hinting at what had happened to Oakpelt, Rowanstar's half-brother, who had an affair with a RiverClan she-cat before Cottonclaw and his siblings had been born.

"How are Uma's kits doing?" Rowanstar asked.

"Really well. We can hardly catch enough prey for them," Cottonclaw replied. "They seem happy enough here, too."

"I'm sure it's a step up from their old lives. Poor Uma couldn't care for them as well as I'm sure she wanted to," Rowanstar said. "Do they seem like good kits?"

"Yes." Cottonclaw nodded. "They're stronger than most kits their age. Mentally, at least."

"They struggled more than most kits should," Rowanstar agreed. "Cottonclaw, would you like to mentor one of Uma's kits when they are ready to be apprenticed?"

"Really? But Shadeclaw and Meadowbreeze are older. Skunkpelt and Smudgewing, too," Cottonclaw reminded his father.

"Age means nothing. I think you are ready for an apprentice," Rowanstar went on.

"I'd love to mentor one of Uma's kits," Cottonclaw said happily. _Sparrowkit will be a great apprentice_, he thought. _I hope Rowanstar chooses me to mentor her._

Rowanstar nodded. "Okay. You may go, now."

"Thank you, Rowanstar," Cottonclaw said before slipping of his father's den. He scrambled down the stone wall and had barely reached the bottom when he was bombarded by Meadowbreeze and Smudgewing.

"The kits need more fresh-kill," Smudgewing said.

"They're going to be fatter than kittypets, the way they're eating," Meadowbreeze joked.

"Are you going to come hunting with us?" Smudgewing asked.

Meadowbreeze eyed him. "You look tired."

Cottonclaw yawned. "I _am_ tired. Cedarspirit dragged me out in the middle of the night."

"Rowanstar didn't mention you were out with Cedarspirit," Smudgewing said. "He just said that Cedarspirit went to help Lightning free a fox from a Twoleg trap."

Rowanstar had addressed the Clan early that morning after he'd found out that Cedarspirit and Cottonclaw had helped Lightning save the vixen, who was currently tucked away inside Maggotstripe's den. Cottonclaw hadn't been at the meeting because he'd been helping Maggotstripe with the injured vixen.

"Rowanstar said he's going to ask the vixen not to hunt on our territory, since we're helping her," Meadowbreeze added.

"Good," Cottonclaw said with another yawn. "One less fox to worry about."

Meadowbreeze touched his shoulder with her tail. "You should go rest. Smudgewing and I can find enough prey for the hungry, little furballs."

"Thanks," Cottonclaw said.

The two she-cats flicked their tails at him in farewell before flouncing toward the exit. Cottonclaw watched them go until their tails whisked into the tunnel. Then he turned and made his way over to the warriors' den for some much needed sleep.

* * *

**End Chapter Fourteen**


	17. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Warriors, but I do own the characters and plot of this story. Please don't steal them.

******

* * *

Chapter 15

* * *

**

Ghostwind was jolted awake when someone's paws jabbed into his sides. He flipped onto his paws in a flash and looked around. Ravenheart was sitting up in nest, her entire pelt standing on end. The others were all looking around in terror. It took a moment for Ghostwind to realize what had scared Ravenheart into kicking him. There was the sound of barking outside in the distance.

"It's okay," Darkbreeze said sleepily from her nest. "That's the sound the dogs make when they catch something. They howl like that and scare up the rest of the prey in the forest. They're mouse-brains, for the most part. We're used to it by now."

Ravenheart's pelt began to lie flat. "How can you get used to that?"

Darkbreeze sat up. "Try not to let it get to you. I think they also do it because they know it frightens us."

"How often do they catch something?" Tigerflame wondered.

Darkbreeze stretched, yawning softly. She blinked her eyes a few times drearily. "A few times a day. It's a surprise they catch anything at all, with the way they trample through the forest, not minding where they step or what they brush up against."

Ghostwind realized the rest of the den was empty, yet the sun was barely brightening the camp outside the den. "Where is everyone?"

The black she-cat stretched again. "Brackenmask and Runningstream took Mountainpaw on a patrol. They're probably back by now. The others most likely went out to hunt." She glanced at the den entrance. "Ever since the dogs came, we've become early risers."

Ravenheart shook her head. "We've got to get rid of those dogs!"

Darkbreeze laughed harshly. "What do you think we've been trying to do? With our Clan split in half, there are fewer cats to launch an attack against the dogs. And WhiskerClan refuses to let us anywhere in the gorge now unless we need Mosspelt, so it's not like we can collaborate on an attack anyway."

Ghostwind sighed. There had to be a way to get WhiskerClan and SquirrelClan back together again. SkyClan had already been lost once; it couldn't be lost again because of something so trivial as a misunderstanding between mates.

"Come on," Darkbreeze said. "Let's go see if the hunters are back."

They followed the she-cat out into the dreary morning. Everything was dripping with morning dew. A few puddles had formed throughout the camp.

"Did it rain last night?" Fernstripe wondered.

"No," Darkbreeze replied. "It's always dripping wet in the forest in the morning. It's another thing we've had to get used to."

"Darkbreeze!" Roughpine called. He padded over to them. "Good morning, Ghostwind and friends."

"Good morning," Ghostwind replied.

"The fresh-kill pile has a few pieces on it for you all," Roughpine informed them. "Darkbreeze, Brackenmask and Runningstream took the apprentices out for some battle practice."

"Oh, good," Darkbreeze said. "It'll do Mountainpaw some good to practice with her mother watching. She always does much better with a good audience."

Tigerflame and Russetfrost broke away from the group to go over to the fresh-kill pile. Ghostwind followed them, and one by one the others did as well. They sad down around the small pile of fresh-kill, which was all that SquirrelClan had to offer. There were two mice and a scrawny thrush.

"This is just sad," Tigerflame whispered, shaking his head. "No Clan should live like this."

Eaglefeather put a paw on one of the mice. "You know, I bet that the dogs don't hunt back along the river we were following to get here."

Ghostwind turned to the RiverClan tom. "What are you saying?"

The dark tom lifted his eyes from the mouse. "We can help them out by hunting in an area the dogs haven't gone. Think about it. If the dogs haven't hunted there, then the prey won't be terrified like the prey is around here. We'd be able to catch mountains of plump fresh-kill. We could give SquirrelClan a fresh-kill pile to be proud of."

"Let's do it!" Tigerflame said, bouncing to his paws.

The others all turned and stared at him in surprise.

"Where's Tigerflame and what have you done with him?" Fernstripe asked.

Tigerflame shook his head. "Are we going to go, or not? We're here because StarClan wants us to help them, so let's help them!"

"What are you so excited about over here?" Roughpine asked as he walked over with Darkbreeze beside him.

"We might have found a way to keep your fresh-kill pile well stocked," Eaglefeather said. "There are areas along the river where the dogs haven't gone that are full of plump fresh-kill."

Darkbreeze's ears twisted forward in earnest. "Now, why hadn't we thought of that?"

Roughpine looked over toward Squirrelflower's den. "Stay here one moment. I'll go discuss this with Squirrelflower."

Ghostwind nodded.

They waited in silence as Roughpine went to speak with Squirrelflower. When the tom returned, he looked much happier.

"Squirrelflower wants Darkbreeze to escort you, just in case you get lost," Roughpine explained. "You don't know this area as well."

"That's understandable," Ghostwind said with a nod. "Let's go now. The faster we get over there, the faster we can find fresh-kill and bring it back."

* * *

Ghostwind flopped into a patch of grass in SquirrelClan's camp. He and the others had hunted all morning and well into the afternoon. The fresh-kill pile was piled high with mice, voles, some birds, and even a squirrel or two. Ghostwind couldn't remember the last time he'd hunted so much, but he knew it hadn't been since before he'd left ThunderClan.

Thinking about ThunderClan made him think about Ashflower and Cottonclaw. He wondered how Cottonclaw was doing without them, and how Ashflower was doing with Moonmist. Was Moonmist any closer to being well enough to travel? Would Moonmist ever be well enough to travel?

"Thank you."

Ghostwind sat up to see Squirrelflower sitting near him and the others, who were also stretched out in the sun.

"You've given my Clan more food than they've seen in too many moons," Squirrelflower went on when they were all looking at her.

"It was no trouble," Ghostwind said.

"We're here to help," Eaglefeather added. "Whatever you need, don't hesitate to ask."

Squirrelflower nodded. "I will let you rest for now, but we could use help with the dusk patrol. Roughpine and Blueheart are going."

"I'll go," Tigerflame said.

"I'll go, too," Ghostwind said. He wanted to see the territory again. The more often he did patrols, the faster he'd be able to memorize the borders.

"Thank you," Squirrelflower said. "Please, rest. You must still be weary from your journey, and all of the hunting you did will only add to your weariness."

Ghostwind sighed and put his head back down. His thoughts drifted back to Ashflower and Moonmist. He knew Ashflower had learned a lot about herbs from Ravenheart. She was the most capable of the group, other than Ravenheart, to take care of Moonmist. And Cottonclaw was probably fine. His brother had always been the strong and silent type. Nothing troubled Cottonclaw...

Before he knew it, Ghostwind was being woken up by Tigerflame.

"You said you wanted to go on the dusk patrol," Tigerflame said.

Ghostwind struggled to his paws. He stretched out his back legs before looking around. The others had disappeared; they had probably gone into the warriors' den to sleep. Roughpine and Blueheart were waiting at the entrance of the camp.

Tigerflame led the way over to the two SquirrelClan cats. Roughpine nodded in hello to the two of them.

"Thank you for coming with us," Blueheart whispered as they all slipped out of the camp.

"Really, it's no trouble," Ghostwind said.

Roughpine stopped. He looked at Ghostwind and Tigerflame with a stern seriousness his light amber eyes. "From here on out, we must be very quiet. The dogs often go romping around at this time. They couldn't care less about the borders we mark every day. If you come across fresh dog scent on our territory, alert the rest of us _quietly_. I'll decide what to do then. Understand?"

Ghostwind and Tigerflame nodded. It was no wonder that Squirrelflower had chosen Roughpine as her deputy; this cat reminded Ghostwind very much of his own father.

The forest was eerily silent as they moved cautiously along the border. As they went, Roughpine and Blueheart marked trees and rocks and bushes. Ghostwind wondered why they even bothered to mark their territory when the dogs didn't care about borders in the first place. What good were borders when the enemy didn't care about them? He heard a stick crack behind him, and he spun around to see Tigerflame leap backward.

Roughpine stopped and turned around. "Are you two okay?"

"Sorry," Tigerflame whispered, embarrassed. "Stepped on a twig."

There was a flash of humor in Roughpine's eyes before he turned back around and trotted to catch up to Blueheart.

"Mouse-brain," Ghostwind laughed softly as he and Tigerflame sped up slightly to catch up to the other two.

Unlike himself, Tigerflame didn't take the bait. He just shook his head in disgust.

"Are you okay, Tigerflame?" Ghostwind wondered. "You haven't been acting like yourself."

The tom grunted. "That's because nobody likes when I act like myself. I can't help it if I like to argue."

Ghostwind twitched his whiskers in amusement. "You shouldn't listen to Swanpool. She was probably just tired."

Tigerflame glanced at Ghostwind out of the corner of his eyes. "But she's right, Ghostwind. Moonmist and I like each other more than we should. I can't explain it. It just happened. At some point during this whole crazy mess, it just happened."

"Tigerflame..." Ghostwind started to say, but he was cut off by the loudest noise he'd heard since the Twoleg dam broke and free flowing water had gushed toward him.

Something came flying out of the bushes to their left. Ghostwind saw light brown and white fur lit up by the last rays of the dying sun before he was suddenly thrown into the air. He grunted as he landed heavily on a thick tree root sticking up out of the ground. Screeching ripped the air, and he looked up to see Roughpine hurtling himself at the dog's pointed ears. The dog was huge, at least four times as large as Roughpine.

"Ghostwind, are you okay?" Tigerflame gasped.

"Yes! Go help them!" Ghostwind grunted.

Tigerflame turned and sped at the dog, darting between its legs and tripping it up as it tried shaking Roughpine from its head. Blueheart slashed at the dog's chest. Ghostwind took a few more gulps of air before hauling himself to his paws to join the fight. Roughpine had moved from the dog's head to its back. His claws were dug deep in the dog's fur, and he bit at its neck over and over again. Ghostwind leaped up and dug his claws into the dog's flank. It yelped and spun around, flinging him through the air once again.

This time, Ghostwind's fall was cushioned by a thorn bush. He struggled to get out and find his paws, but thorns were catching in his fur and tugging out chunks of his coat. The dog's howling had joined the yowls of the cats, but the howls were cut off by the dog yipping suddenly. Ghostwind couldn't see what was going on as he struggled to remove himself from the stupid thorn bush.

Then, just as he was freeing himself at last from the thorns, Ghostwind watched as the dog suddenly reared up onto its hind paws and slammed itself down on its back, with Roughpine still attached. Blueheart's scream of terror made Ghostwind's fur stand on end, but it was the crack of breaking bones that really made him sick. Ghostwind gulped in air as the dog pushed itself back onto its paws and took off into the darkness.

Ghostwind forced himself to walk forward and look down at Roughpine. He forced himself to see the broken bones jutting out of the broken body of a dead, mighty warrior.

* * *

"NO!" Squirrelflower screamed when she saw Ghostwind and Tigerflame dragging Roughpine's limp body into the camp. The she-cat raced over and stared down at her deputy's body. Ghostwind couldn't bare to look at the agony in Squirrelflower's pretty, blue eyes.

"Roughpine! Roughpine!" Runningstream pushed past Darkbreeze and Leafclaw to get to the deputy's cold body. "Roughpine, no! NO!"

Ghostwind turned and padded away to where Ravenheart and the others were sitting.

"Ghostwind, what happened?" Ravenheart whispered, her voice choking.

He shook his head. "The dog came out of nowhere..."

"It was our fault," Tigerflame's rugged voice interrupted. "We were talking. Roughpine told us to be quiet, but we didn't listen. It's our fault that dog found us. It's our fault Roughpine is dead!"

Ghostwind looked up at Tigerflame in shock. He hadn't thought about it, but Tigerflame was right. They'd been whispering to each other, and their whispering had led the dog straight to them.

Swanpool slapped a paw across Tigerflame's cheek. "How dare you, Tigerflame? Ghostwind wouldn't do such a thing!"

"Swanpool!" Eaglefeather gaped.

"Tigerflame is right!" Ghostwind snarled, appalled that Swanpool had hit Tigerflame. "We were whispering to each other. Roughpine told us before we left that we had to be quiet."

"Oh, Ghostwind," Ravenheart whispered. She sounded utterly defeated.

Yowls suddenly wrenched the air behind them. They turned to see the members of SquirrelClan, their heads lifted into the air as they yowled their pain. A chill ran down Ghostwind's spine as their yowls echoed in the night air.

_Great StarClan, what have Tigerflame and I done?_ Ghostwind thought.

* * *

Cottonclaw jolted awake. His breaths came in gasps as the images of Ghostwind and Tigerflame fighting a huge dog flashed again before his eyes. Had that just been a dream, or had his brother really been fighting? He sat up in his nest, and only then did he realize that he wasn't alone in the warriors' den.

"It's okay, Cottonclaw," Sparrowkit said. "Your brother and Tigerflame are okay. Their friend from SkyClan isn't, though."

Cottonclaw stared down at the little tortoiseshell. "Sparrowkit, how did you know that I was just dreaming about my brother?"

The little she-cat tilted her head. "I'm not really sure. I just know. And I also know you're worried about Ghostwind, and that he and Tigerflame came out okay. Their friend from SkyClan got crushed beneath the dog, though. He's up in StarClan with my mother now."

Cottonclaw shook his head. "Sparrowkit, I never told you anything about SkyClan, or my brother and the cats he's with."

"You didn't have to," Sparrowkit said. "I already knew all of that because I know you."

"What?"

The she-cat huffed in irritation. "I already knew all of that because I know you."

"Sparrowkit, nobody can just _know_ things right after meeting someone," Cottonclaw said.

Her light amber eyes filled with amusement. "And normal cats don't just disappear or read thoughts or see the future for no reason."

Cottonclaw stared at her. How in StarClan's name did she know all of that? Then it dawned on him. _StarClan_. They'd obviously sent this little kit to ThunderClan for some reason.

"I'm sorry," Sparrowkit said, looking upset now. "I didn't mean to scare you."

Cottonclaw laughed. "You're going to need to work on that whole knowing everything thing that you do because I'm not scared. Confused, maybe, but not scared. How could a little scrap of fur like you scare me?"

Sparrowkit gasped. "I'm not just a little scrap of fur!"

He shook his head. "What are you doing in here, anyway, Sparrowkit? Mistmeadow is probably frantically looking for you right now."

Sparrowkit tilted her head again. "I'm confused."

"About what?"

"Mother said that Cloverpelt was going to be our new mother," Sparrowkit stated. "But Mistmeadow spends more time with us!"

Cottonclaw stood up. "Well, Cloverpelt does have Ebonykit and Tawnykit to think about. Mistmeadow's kits are apprentices right now, so she has more time to spend with you and your brothers." He headed for the exit of the den.

"Is Mistmeadow going to be our new mother, then?" Sparrowkit asked, stumbling out after him. "I really like Mistmeadow. She's really nice, and always makes sure all of the feathers are gone when you bring us birds." She paused for barely a breath. "That's why I was looking for you! You didn't come with Smudgewing and Meadowbreeze to give us fresh-kill. I wanted to find you. You and Meadowbreeze are cute together."

"You sure talk a lot for such a tiny scrap of fur," Cottonclaw laughed.

"Sparrowkit!" Mistmeadow's voice screeched.

Sparrowkit ducked her head as Mistmeadow came rushing over. The silver-flecked she-cat began to examine Sparrowkit, running her paws over the kit's entire body.

"Mistmeadow, what in StarClan's name are you doing?" Cottonclaw could barely suppress a laugh as Sparrowkit meowed in annoyance.

"Where has she been, Cottonclaw? We've been searching everywhere for her," Mistmeadow said.

"She came to find me," Cottonclaw told her. "I was taking a nap in the warriors' den."

"Sparrowkit, how many times have I told you not to go out into the camp without telling me or Maggotstripe first?" Mistmeadow scolded.

"But I wanted to see Cottonclaw! He didn't come with Smudgewing and Meadowbreeze," Sparrowkit whined.

Mistmeadow turned to Cottonclaw. "It looks like you've made a new little friend, Cottonclaw. Meadowbreeze had better keep an eye on this little scrap here."

Sparrowkit scrunched up her face. "I don't want to be Cottonclaw's mate!"

Mistmeadow laughed. "Come on, you mischievous little thing. Your brothers are worried sick about where you ran off to."

"Yeah, right! They're probably just wondering how I got out without anybody noticing, and why I didn't bring them along!" Sparrowkit retorted.

"Having fun getting Sparrowkit into trouble?"

Cottonclaw turned to see Meadowbreeze walking over. Her eyes were filled with mirth as she watched Mistmeadow walking away with Sparrowkit.

"That kit adores you," Meadowbreeze said. "You'll make a good father, someday."

Cottonclaw purred. He hadn't really thought about having kits, considering he'd only just been made a warrior. But now that Meadowbreeze mentioned it, he would enjoy raising some little furballs. "You'll make a great mother, too, Meadowbreeze."

The she-cat laughed. "Listen to us, sounding like Summerflower and Stormtail!"

Cottonclaw laughed along with her.

"Are you rested enough to go for a walk with me?" Meadowbreeze asked, rubbing her nose along his chin.

"I think I can manage to walk to the lake and back to camp before falling asleep again," Cottonclaw joked.

Meadowbreeze swatted his nose with her tail. "Come on, furball."

The two of them trotted out of the camp, walking side by side in the darkness. The moon was barely rising in the sky as they reached the shore of the lake. Cottonclaw sat down and stared out at the smooth surface of the lake, stars reflecting in it brightly.

"You know," Meadowbreeze whispered, leaning again him, "you seem to have loosened up a lot since Ghostwind and Ashflower left. And even more so since Sparrowkit was accepted into ThunderClan."

Cottonclaw sighed. "Maybe it's just because I'm trying not to let my siblings' absence get to me. Taking care of Sparrowkit has helped take my mind off of them being gone."

"You know, my sister is with them," Meadowbreeze reminded him. "I know the feeling that there's someone missing. A hole that can't be filled until she returns."

"Oh, Meadowbreeze," Cottonclaw whispered. "I was so busy thinking about Ghostwind and Ashflower and Sparrowkit that I forgot that you must be missing Ravenheart."

The she-cat shook her head. "Cottonclaw, you mouse-brain. You have a right to be a little forgetful at the moment. It doesn't matter to me if you're distracted by your worry for your brother and sister. And it really doesn't matter that you're spending so much time taking care of Sparrowkit because I'm right here beside you, helping take care of her and her brothers."

Cottonclaw rubbed his nose along Meadowbreeze's cheek. "I love you, Meadowbreeze."

"I love you, too, Cottonclaw," Meadowbreeze replied. She tucked her nose under his chin and snuggled against him.

The two of them sat there until the moon rose to its highest peak. Then, side-by-side, they walked back to the quiet ThunderClan camp to curl up, side-by-side, in their nests.

**

* * *

End Chapter Fifteen**


	18. Chapter 16

**Author's Notes:** This chapter is a bit gory. And it's meant to be sort of fast-paced, so if it feels like it's going fast...I meant it to be like that! Enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Warriors, but I do own the characters and plot of this story. Please don't steal them.

**

* * *

Chapter 16

* * *

**

Ghostwind woke slowly the next morning. A dreadful feeling was still lodged in his stomach. He glanced sideways at Ravenheart, still asleep with her tail over her nose. He lifted his head higher to see the others. Tigerflame was the only one missing. He'd heard the ginger tom restlessly rolling in his nest last night. It was obvious that Tigerflame couldn't stop thinking about what had happened to Roughpine.

Stretching, Ghostwind rose and quietly padded outside. He looked around at the camp. Roughpine's body was no longer lying in the middle of the camp. Last night, Squirrelflower had addressed the Clan and appointed Brackenmask as her new deputy. The tabby tom had agreed half-heartedly with his leader's decision. Now, the camp was utterly deserted. The SquirrelClan cats had to be out patroling and hunting.

Morosely, Ghostwind walked over to the fresh-kill pile. There were just enough pieces of fresh-kill to feed himself and the others when they woke. He quickly ate a couple bites from one of the small mice before beginning to clean his face and behind his ears. The forest was eerily quiet all around him. Only a few birds chirped in the branches above the camp.

There was a rustling sound and Ghostwind spun to see Tigerflame slinking into the camp. He looked distracted. His ears were twisting back and forth in agitation.

"Tigerflame," Ghostwind said, making the tom jerk in surprise.

"Oh," Tigerflame mumbled. "It's just you."

Ghostwind walked over to him. "Where were you?"

The ShadowClan tom grunted. "Following SquirrelClan."

"What do you mean? Where have they gone?" Ghostwind twitched his whiskers.

"Squirrelflower went to talk to Whiskerstar," Tigerflame sighed. "They brought Roughpine's body with them. The entire Clan went."

"Isn't that good? The two halves of SkyClan are talking! Maybe they'll settle their differences and..."

Tigerflame's amber eyes flashed. "Ghostwind, they went back because they wanted to bury Roughpine's body in the gorge. Squirrelflower thought that Roughpine was too great of a warrior to be buried out here in the forest somewhere. She thought he deserved to be buried closer to his fallen Clanmates and ancestors."

"Oh," Ghostwind whispered. He wasn't sure what to say to that.

Tigerflame brushed past him and walked over to the fresh-kill. He solemnly finished off the mouse that Ghostwind had left.

"Tigerflame, I know how you're feeling. It's dreadful that Roughpine died because we didn't follow his advice. But we really have to remember that we need to stay positive. If we give up now, SkyClan is as good as gone."

"You think I don't know that?" Tigerflame spat. His claws unsheathed and dug into the grass beneath his paws. "It's not fair to Roughpine that we _just move on_! He really was a great warrior. He deserves to be moarned for his loss."

"He is being moarned!" Ghostwind said.

Tigerflame shook his head. "It's just not...fair. It should have been one of us, Ghostwind. We came here to help them, not get them killed!"

"Is that what your problem is? That we should have been the ones to die instead of Roughpine? Tigerflame, you mouse-brain! Death isn't something we can stop! Believe me. I've tried. Have you forgotten that I can see the future? Did...did you know that the first time I had a vision that showed me the future...I watched one of my Clanmates die?"

Tigerflame looked up from his paws, his eyes widening. "What?"

Ghostwind nodded. "Softcreek. She died protecting one of her kits. I watched her die _twice_ because there wasn't anything I could do to stop it...even after I watched it happen the first time."

"So, if you had seen Roughpine's death before it happened, you still wouldn't have been able to stop it?" Tigerflame whispered.

Ghostwind nodded again. "Death isn't something that can be stopped, Tigerflame. No matter what we do to try and stop it."

The two of them were quiet for a long time before Tigerflame finally stood again.

"I'm tired, Ghostwind. I'm going to try and get some sleep."

"That's a good idea, Tigerflame. I think I'll go take a walk in the forest," Ghostwind replied. "I won't go too far. Let the others know where I've gone if they wake up before I get back."

"Alright," Tigerflame said.

The two of them went their separate ways. Ghostwind slipped out of the camp through the entrance. He wasn't surprised to see the forest dripping wet so early in the morning. The sunlight was bright through the leaves, but it hadn't yet risen above the treetops. The birds were still chattering in the branches. They weren't nearly as loud as they would be later.

It was almost hard to believe that out in this quiet, peaceful forest there lurked a bloodthirsty pack of dogs. How many more cats were going to die before they could get SkyClan back together again? What if they couldn't get the two halves of the Clan together once more?

With a sigh, Ghostwind sat down beneath a tree in a patch of grass covered in dew. As he sat down, a beam of sunlight broke through the trees and lit up the dew at his paws. Ghostwind glanced down to see a tiny red bug with black spots crawling up a thick piece of grass that jutted up out of the dirt. He stared down at the little bug as it busily made its way up the piece of grass. As he watched, he noticed there were two, small beads of dew on the grass beneath the bug. As the bug walked, it jiggled the grass and the two beads of dew slowly slid closer and closer together...

_The sunhigh sky is split in two, and the morning dew will give a clue..._

Ghostwind's eyes widened as the two dew drops came together to make a single, big dewdrop. The words from the prophecy that echoed in his mind sent a shiver down his spine. The prophecy was coming true. As if his thoughts had a mind of their own separate from him, a plan began to form. But could it really be that simple to fix the tragedy that had ripped SkyClan apart?

It was worth a try.

* * *

"Does everyone understand the plan?" Ghostwind asked, looking around at the others.

It was the next morning. SquirrelClan had returned to their camp in the forest around sunhigh yesterday. Ghostwind and the others had helped hunt and patrol the forests all day long after the Clan had returned. That night, Ghostwind told the others his plan on how to get SkyClan back together again.

"We all know what we're supposed to do," Eaglefeather replied.

Ghostwind turned to Ravenheart and Fernstripe. "Let's go, then."

The three of them left the others behind as they hurried through the forest, heading for the gorge where WhiskerClan was currently living. Ghostwind couldn't help but feel nervous. His stomach knotted as he thought about what might happen if his plan didn't work. If it didn't work, he might end up forcing a deeper wedge between the two halves of SkyClan.

_StarClan, if you're listening...please, let this work_! He sent a silent prayer to the heavens above as they reached the end of the forest.

With a deep breath, Ghostwind charged forward. Ravenheart kept pace beside him, but Fernstripe fell back. The gorge grew closer and closer. The grass turned to stone beneath their paws. Walls of dirt and rock rose up around them, enclosing them on either side. Ghostwind's paws easily found a path through the rubble that lay scattered ahead of them. Many generations of SkyClan cats had created this path between the forest and the camp.

Suddenly, they burst forth into the WhiskerClan camp. Trails wound up the walls of the gorge, leading to caves whose entrances had been packed with twigs and leaves so that the only way to enter were through small holes. Boulders and piles of smaller rocks were gathered all around. A black tom and a ginger tom were sunning themselves on a large, flat boulder in the center of the camp. Beneath the boulder, eight cats were huddled together around something Ghostwind couldn't see. These cats all turned when Ghostwind and Ravenheart appeared.

A gray and silver tom leaped forward, his teeth bared and claws unsheathed. His light yellow eyes flashed in the sunlight.

"Who are you?" he demanded.

"Are you Whiskerstar?" Ghostwind panted, flattening his ears against his head. He had a feeling this was the cat they'd come to find.

The tom glared at him. "Yes, I'm the leader of WhiskerClan. You must be the visiting cats Squirrelflower told me about. What do you want?"

"Squirrelflower is in trouble!" Ghostwind replied hastily.

"What?" Whiskerstar's eyes widened in shock. "Where is she? Take me to her!"

"Follow us!" Ravenheart said.

They turned around and headed back the way they'd come. Ghostwind and Ravenheart made sure they were as loud as they could be so that Fernstripe was alerted. When Ghostwind saw Fernstripe shoot forward from her hiding place, he pretended to trip and fall. Whiskerstar bumped into him, distracting him long enough that he didn't see Fernstripe.

"Sorry!" Ghostwind gasped out.

They continued onward. When they reached the edge of the forest, a yowl suddenly wrenched through the air.

_Perfect timing, Swanpool_! Ghostwind thought to himself.

"Squirrelflower!" Whiskerstar screamed in terror, racing in the direction of the yowl.

Ravenheart and Ghostwind glanced at each other in relief. That was the exact reaction they'd hoped Whiskerstar would have when he heard Swanpool's yowl. They quickly followed after Whiskerstar. The gray tom skidded to a stop in the clearing Ghostwind had picked for this scene.

"Squirrelflower? Squirrelflower!" Whiskerstar looked around frantically.

"Whiskerstar!"

SquirrelClan came shooting out from the trees. Her eyes were wide with fright. The two of them raced towards one another. They touched noses and rubbed against one another. Their purrs filled the clearing. Eaglefeather and Tigerflame stepped forward and walked around to sit beside Ghostwind and Ravenheart. Fernstripe and Russetfrost came forward, as well.

"I thought you were in trouble!" Squirrelflower meowed to her mate.

"What? I thought you were in trouble!" Whiskerstar replied.

There was a pause, and then Squirrelflower turned suspicious eyes on Ghostwind and the others seated around him.

"What's the meaning of this? Why did you...?" Her pretty, blue eyes widened. Ghostwind knew she'd figured it out when she turned back to Whiskerstar. "Whiskerstar, these cats were sent here by StarClan to help us with more than just the pack of dogs."

Whiskerstar glanced at Ghostwind and the others. "What do you mean?"

The she-cat shook her head. "We've been so foolish, Whiskerstar. We should never have been split apart."

Whiskerstar's eyes widened and then squinted in understanding. "Oh, I see. These young cats tricked us into coming here. For what reason? So that I can apologize like you want me to? I'm not the one who's done wrong!"

"That's where you're wrong, Whiskerstar," a new voice said.

Ghostwind sighed inwardly when Orion stepped forward. Swanpool appeared behind the black loner, her sides heaving and her legs trembling with weariness. She'd probably run the fastest out of all of them, just so she could get Orion here as Ghostwind had wanted. Yesterday, Ghostwind had talked to Mountainpaw about Squirrelflower and Whiskerstar splitting up. The apprentice had innocently revealed that Orion was the cat Whiskerstar believed Squirrelflower was cheating with.

"You!" Whiskerstar spat. "Are you in on this, too?"

Orion snorted. He walked right up to Whiskerstar so that they were nose to nose. "Whiskerstar, you need to come down off your mighty high ledge and see what's really going on. I've tried telling you over and over that Squirrelflower and I are not together. She hasn't cheated on you, not even now, after your mouse-brained conclusion that we were seeing each other!"

"How am I supposed to believe you?" Whiskerstar demanded.

"Because it's the truth," Tigerflame hissed. "Aren't you listening to what he's saying? Don't you know Squirrelflower well enough to know that she'd never cheat on you? She's your mate, for StarClan's sake!"

Whiskerstar stared at Tigerflame. His tail-tip twitched. His ears twisted backward and forward. Finally, the SkyClan leader sighed and bowed his head.

"Squirrelflower, how can I ever ask you to forgive me? I'm...sorry for jumping to the wrong conclusion. I should have known that you'd never cheat on me."

"Whiskerstar, you're such a mouse-brain!" Squirrelflower said. She pressed her nose to his cheek. "I forgive you, you big furball. Now, can we come home?"

"I don't think that's going to happen."

The voice came from somewhere above them. Everyone looked upward to see a long-furred, ginger tom with brilliant, amber eyes lazily walking down the thick branch of an oak. His lips were pulled back in a menacing grin.

"Who are you?" Whiskerstar asked.

"My name is Neo," the tom replied with an evil chuckle. "And right now, you're surrounded by my very hungry pets. They haven't yet feasted on any of you, and they're so very anxious for their first real treat of cat flesh."

Ghostwind's entire pelt stood on end when he realized that, unbeknownst to any of them, eight dogs had crept up around the perimeter of the clearing. They were completely surrounded with no possible means of escape. The happy reunion of Whiskerstar and Squirrelflower was erased from their minds as they realized the trouble they were in.

_Great StarClan! Help us!_

The ginger tom flicked his tail, and the dogs lunged forward.

Ghostwind suddenly found himself face to face with a huge, brown and white dog with pointed ears. The dog grinned and snapped his teeth in Ghostwind's face. Ghostwind hissed and raked his claws over the dog's nose. The dog yiped and wiped a paw over his bloody nose. He looked down at the blood on his paw before looking up at Ghostwind and glaring. There was a strange intelligence in the dog's blue eyes.

_This is no ordinary dog_! Ghostwind thought.

In a guttural, thick accent, the dog said, "You pay for that."

"You speak cat!" Ghostwind yelped, backing away.

The dog chuckled and crept toward him. "Neo teach Duke talk cat. Neo teach all us."

Ghostwind gulped. If he could keep the dog talking, perhaps he could distract him and get in a few well-placed swipes! "You mean he taught you and these other dogs how to speak cat?"

"That what Duke say," the dog replied with another laugh. "Neo Duke master. Neo good take care us."

Ghostwind assumed Duke was the dog he was facing. "Neo takes care of you," he said. "Why did he bring you here, Duke?"

The dog's tongue licked his lips. "Neo like here. Neo want for us. Food everywhere. But cats here Neo need go away. So Duke and all us hunt cats for Neo. Kill one by one."

_Great StarClan! That tom really does control these dogs!_

"Duke, why do you listen to Neo? You can be your own master," Ghostwind said. "You could choose to do whatever you want. You don't have to listen to Neo."

"Neo say you say that," Duke replied. "Neo say no listen. You speak nonsense. No more speak! Now Duke hunt!"

So much for trying to distract him!

Duke's teeth snapped together, barely missing Ghostwind's leg. Ghostwind rolled out of the way before springing back onto his paws. He leaped up onto Duke's back and raked his claws along the dog's neck. Duke howled and twisted his head around to try and grab at Ghostwind, but Ghostwind jumped down. He slipped under Duke's body and kicked him in the stomach. Duke tried to lay on top of him, but Ghostwind slipped away.

"Stay still!" Duke roared, snapping at Ghostwind's tail. He whisked it out of the way just in time. "I want eat you!"

"Yes! Yes, my pets!" Ghostwind looked up to see Neo watching the battle from his tree. He needed to get up there and attack Neo! "Get them, my pets! Get them! You will have your first treat of cat flesh today!"

_Not if I have anything to say about it_! Ghostwind thought, dodging Duke again. He headed for the oak Neo was in. He saw Swanpool and Tigerflame clawing at a brown, female dog with white markings.

Pain raced up Ghostwind's spine. He flipped over onto his back, his tail still stuck under Duke's huge paw. "Duke eat!" The dog's jaws opened wide...

A black blur suddenly flew out of nowhere and smacked Duke in the side of the head. Another brown blur leaped onto the dog's back. Duke rolled away with the brown blur still clutching his back. Ghostwind's tail was free.

"Are you okay?" Darkbreeze panted.

"How'd you know we needed help?" Ghostwind panted, sitting up.

"A friend of yours showed up," Darkbreeze replied. "She said you needed help."

Ghostwind gasped. "What did she look like?"

"White fur. Blue eyes. Said her name was Moonmist," Darkbreeze replied.

Moonmist! But where was Ashflower? He looked around and saw that there were now many more cats in the clearing. Some of the cats he recognized seeing briefly in the SkyClan camp. How had they known to come? And were some dogs missing? He only counted five dogs now. Had three been chased off?

"Get them! Get them!" Neo was still shouting from his tree branch.

Fury surged through Ghostwind's veins. How dare this cat think he could manipulate a pack of dogs in order to take over an entire area already claimed by a whole Clan of cats? Then Ghostwind realized something. With all of the dogs distracted, he had a clear path to Neo! He leaped forward, leaving a confused Darkbreeze behind him.

When he reached the oak tree, he looked up into the branches to see if he could spot Neo. The ginger tom, who was still screaming his head off, wasn't too hard to spot. He was pacing back and forth along his branch. Another movement caught Ghostwind's attention. He turned to see a gray she-cat sneaking up the tree.

"Ashflower!" Ghostwind gasped, the word coming out barely about a whisper.

He watched his sister steathily sneak up on Neo. The tom was so intent on the battle between SkyClan and the dogs below that he didn't notice Ashflower until the last second. She stepped out onto Neo's branch and swiped unsheathed claws at his flank. Neo spun around and hissed. The noise from the battle was too loud and Ashflower and Neo were too high up for Ghostwind to hear what they were saying to each other.

Ashflower swiped at Neo again. The tom smacked her paw out of the way. Ghostwind's pelt stood on end as he watched his sister take a few steps further out onto the branch. Neo backed away, his ears flat and his lips peeled back to reveal his fangs.

Ghostwind decided his sister needed some help. He began to claw his way up the tree, keeping an eye on his sister and Neo above. Pine needles slapped him all over as he hauled his way closer and closer.

Ashflower took another swipe at Neo. He ducked out of the way. Ghostwind heard his sister hiss in frustration. He tried to hurry upward, but his pelt was suddenly snagged on a pinecone. Ghostwind tugged at his fur as he stared up. His sister slashed again, and this time her claws connected. Blood oozed out across Neo's cheek. The tom put a paw to his cheek and stared in shock at the blood.

Ghostwind would never forget the look that formed on Neo's face. The only time he'd ever seen such an evil, hatred-filled look was when he'd watched his father fight and kill Sly, the leader of DarkClan, during one of his visions of the past. Sly's face had looked just like that before he'd been murdered.

Neo's screech flung through the air as he lurched at Ashflower. His paws stretched forward, the claws gleaming in the sunlight directly above them. Those claws connected deep in Ashflower's shoulders. Ghostwind saw the surprise on his sister's face as Neo began to fall through the air...dragging her with him.

**

* * *

**

**End Chapter Sixteen

* * *

**

**Author's Notes:** Hey, all! Check out the website I made dedicated to this series, as well as my deviantart page! Links to both are on my profile! You'll find the illustrations I've been doing for the series!


	19. Chapter 17

**Author's Notes:** Ooo! I kind of left off on a cliffhanger there, didn't I? Sorry!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Warriors, but I own the characters of this story. Please don't steal them.

* * *

**Chapter 17**

* * *

"Ashflower!" Ghostwind screamed.

Before she could fall, Ashflower grabbed hold of the branch with just her claws. But Neo was still clinging to her shoulders, and now he was biting into her neck with his fangs. Ghostwind's head was filled with Ashflower's painful cries. He finally broke free of the stupid pinecone and climbed as fast as he could.

Ashflower kicked at Neo, but the tom still wouldn't let go. Ghostwind was just beneath them. His chest heaving, his paws aching, his mind reeling, Ghostwind leapt onto the branch his sister clung to. Telling himself to apologize later for what he was about to do, Ghostwind reached down and dug his teeth into Ashflower's bloody scruff. He lifted her up until all four paws were under her. And then, he released his sister and sank his teeth so deep into Neo's neck that he nearly breathed in the tom's long fur.

Blood gushed out around his muzzle. Ghostwind opened his eyes and realized he was eye to eye with Neo. The tom's amber eyes were wide. His claws lost their grip on Ashflower, and he tumbled away. Ghostwind watched the tom hit branch after branch before finally landing in the grass below with a dull thud.

The forest was eerily quiet.

"Ghostwind."

He pulled his eyes slowly from Neo's lifeless body to look at his sister. Ashflower was bleeding heavily from her neck and shoulders.

"We need to get down," Ghostwind whispered.

"Thank you," Ashflower replied quietly. "I...needed you."

Through his shock, Ghostwind pressed his nose to Ashflower's in a brotherly gesture. "I'll always be here for you, Ashflower. Always."

* * *

Ghostwind looked down at all of the cats gathering before him. The moon was just beginning to rise in the sky. Ashflower and the other wounded cats had been seen to by Mosspelt, Ravenheart, and Mosspelt's apprentice, Volepaw. The cats of SkyClan, once again reunited under peace, were greeting one another with hesitancy. The chatter was quiet and subdued, but Ghostwind noticed when the hesitancy dissipated as the SkyClan cats began to realize that they weren't splitting apart again. The joy was clear on many of the cats' faces.

"Ghostwind."

He turned to look at Whiskerstar and Squirrelflower. Both of them were staring at Ghostwind with the utmost respect.

"It is not often that a warrior must kill," Whiskerstar went on. "But you saved your sister. You saved myself, my mate, and our entire Clan when you let that bloodthirsty tom fall from the tree. Our territory remains ours because of you. I don't think we could thank you enough."

Squirrelflower touched Ghostwind's shoulder with her tail-tip. "Your name, as well as the names of your Clanmates and friends, will be known throughout SkyClan's generations. What you did today was the work of legend, Ghostwind."

He nodded to them both. "Thank you. I know your words should be comforting..."

Squirrelflower batted his mouth with her tail. "Say no more! Whiskerstar will address SkyClan the way he has done for many moons, just as leaders of the past have and leaders of the future will. For now, try to enjoy the victory you and your friends have helped us achieve."

Whiskerstar stepped to the edge of the boulder they stood on. His light yellow eyes gleamed in the silvery light of the moon as he looked down at his Clan. Heads began to turn.

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey, join beneath the Rockpile for a Clan meeting!" Whiskerstar yowled.

All eyes were now on Whiskerstar.

"SkyClan, I address you tonight after a victorious battle against the pack of dogs and their leader, a cat who was traitorous to us all for associating himself with those stupid mutts!"

His words were met with yowls of triumph and hisses of defiance. Ghostwind curled his tail around his paws and tried to forget the look in Neo's eyes as he fell.

"Tonight, we are no longer WhiskerClan and SquirrelClan. Once more we are SkyClan, followers of StarClan and the warrior code! We no longer face one another on opposite ends of our territory but stand beside one another in peace and love. May we pray to StarClan that our Clan never be broken apart again for any reason!"

More yowling echoed through the gorge.

"But, unfortunately, we did not meet these victories on our own. We owe our lives to Ghostwind, Ashflower, Ravenheart, Eaglefeather, Swanpool, Tigerflame, Russetfrost, Moonmist, and Fernstripe! They came to us, sent by StarClan, to aide us in our troubled time. If it weren't for them, we would not be here together again, and those nasty dogs would still be hunting our prey!"

There were more hisses.

"Stupid dogs!" a black tom named Swiftnose shouted.

Whiskerstar lashed his tail. "I, Whiskerstar, leader of SkyClan, thank Ghostwind and his friends for helping us. But a simple thank you is not enough. Warriors of SkyClan, tomorrow we shall feast! With the dogs gone, our territory will once again be filled with prey!"

"Feast!" the SkyClan cats yowled, eyes gleaming with excitement.

"Together, side-by-side once more, we will hunt until every belly is filled!" Whiskerstar called. "For now, rest with your Clanmates. Moarn together over our losses and rejoice in our victory!"

One last time, the SkyClan cats yowled together. Their voices echoed all along the gorge and sent a flock of birds flying into the night sky. Ghostwind watched Whiskerstar and Squirrelflower scramble down the boulders to mingle with their Clanmates. He looked down to watch the cats turn to one another.

"It is good to have you back in the gorge, Darkbreeze," Swiftnose said, touching his nose to hers.

"I'm glad to be back, Swiftnose," Darkbreeze replied. "I'm sorry about Fringefeather."

The black tom bowed his head. "She died a noble death protecting Sweetleaf and her kits from one of those dogs."

Ghostwind turned his attention away from the two black cats and instead focused on Whiskerstar and Squirrelflower. The two of them were talking to Treewhisper, a brown and black she-cat with yellow eyes. She was Whiskerstar's deputy.

"...so sorry about Roughpine," Squirrelflower was saying. "Your brother died trying to protect two of our visitors and my sister."

Ghostwind's heart wrenched at the mention of Roughpine. Treewhisper was his sister? Now he felt even worse about causing Roughpine's death than he had before.

He heard pawsteps on stone and turned. Ashflower was limping toward him, her neck swathed in cobwebs.

"Ashflower!" Ghostwind stood and took a step toward her. "What are you doing? You should be in Mosspelt's den resting! You'll make your wounds start bleeding again!"

The silver she-cat grunted and sat down. "Stop it, Ghostwind. I can hear your thoughts even when I'm all the way down in Mosspelt's den!"

He turned away from her. "I know I did the right thing, Ashflower, but..."

"Ghostwind, killing someone is never easy," she said. "I never...I never mentioned this, but Rowanstar...he thinks about Sly...almost every day."

"What? Why didn't...?"

"I didn't tell you because I thought you had enough to deal with," she replied before he could finish. "Ghostwind, you're more a part of this prophecy than I ever will be. You're the chosen ThunderClan cat. I just came along to help you. You had enough to think about trying to decipher the prophecy without me telling you things our father thinks about."

"Did you tell...?"

"Cottonclaw doesn't know," Ashflower whispered. "But if we brought it up, he probably wouldn't be surprised. I mean, we saw the way you reacted after you watched Rowanclaw kill Sly. It had to be the worst moment in Rowanstar's entire life. That's not something that can be forgotten easily."

Ghostwind didn't doubt that. He very much knew how Rowanstar must feel.

"You and Rowanstar have more in common than you realize, Ghostwind," Ashflower said. "Both of you did something you didn't want to in order to save not only your loved ones, but entire Clans, as well. Sly and Neo were horrible, bloodthirsty cats who deserved what happened to them. You and Rowanstar did what you had to so you could stop them."

Ghostwind bowed his head. "Then why does it feel like I did the wrong thing?"

Ashflower limped over to him and put her forehead on his shoulder. "That's something I can't answer, Ghostwind. I think it best if you talked to Rowanstar about this. Maybe the two of you can heal your hearts, together."

Suddenly, seeing Rowanstar and all of his Clanmates back in ThunderClan sounded like the best thing in the world.

"We can leave as soon as possible," Ashflower said. "You'll have to be patient with me, though, Ghostwind. This neck injury will take a few days to heal well enough for me to travel."

"I think I can wait a few extra days to speak to Rowanstar," Ghostwind purred. "Thanks for trying to cheer me up, Ashflower."

She looked up at him with her silvery-green eyes flashing. "I'm always here for you, Ghostwind. No matter what. Now, let's go mingle with SkyClan. A lot of them are waiting for you down there to say thank you."

He sighed. "Whatever you say, Ashflower."

* * *

Ghostwind's eyelids felt as heavy as boulders the next morning. His muscles ached from running, fighting, and climbing yesterday. With a groan, he lifted his head to see he was alone in the den. Late morning sunlight filtered in through the dry bramble tendrils on either side of the stone archway entrance. He struggled into a sitting position and looked down at his pelt. Bits of moss and oak leaves were clinging to him and a few twigs stuck out out his shoulders. He was a complete mess!

Slowly, nearly painstakingly, he began to groom his pelt. He tugged the twigs from his shoulders and dropped them onto the rocky floor. Once the twigs were out, he shook himself to get as much of the moss and oak leaves off as he could. Whatever didn't come off had to be carefully clawed out of his fur. Finally, when all the bits were gone, he ran his tongue over every inch of himself he could reach without causing pain to shoot through his aching muscles.

"Ghostwind, are you okay in here?"

He looked up from washing behind his ears to see Ravenheart poking her head into the cave. She looked well-rested, her sky blue eyes sparkling contentedly when she realized he was awake.

"You look much better," she said, stepping further into the den.

"Thanks," Ghostwind replied. "I'm really sore, though."

Ravenheart went into medicine cat status immediately. She had him lie down so she could run her paws over him. "You have a few scratches, and your muscles must be sore from the fight and climbing that tree. Come with me. Mosspelt will have something to help you."

He followed her outside. Blinking against the bright sunlight, he glanced around the gorge camp. There were a few cats resting in the sun beside one of the biggest fresh-kill piles he'd ever seen. Ravenheart didn't give it a second glance as she led him over a path that wound over to another of the caves in the gorge walls.

Ghostwind ducked inside after Ravenheart. The cool medicine den smelled of herbs, which Ghostwind imagined were tucked into the farthest part of the cave. Mosspelt looked up from examining Runningstream's paw. SkyClan's medicine cat was a light brown she-cat with black spots and a black striped tail. Her yellow eyes skimmed over Ravenheart before landing on Ghostwind.

"Ah. The one cat I haven't checked over, yet," Mosspelt said softly, her whiskers twitching with mirth. "Runningstream, your paw seems fine now. You should be able to go hunt with your Clanmates. Just make sure to come back if it starts bleeding again."

"Thank you, Mosspelt," Runningstream nodded before padding out.

Mosspelt stood and padded toward Ghostwind. "So, what have we here?"

"He's sore, and he has a few minor scratches. I was thinking of using stinging nettle and comfrey," Ravenheart said.

Mosspelt's eyes roamed over Ghostwind. He felt rather self-conscious under her gaze and was glad he'd taken the time to groom himself when he woke. "Comfrey is a good choice for soothing the scratches. We should add marigold to that, as well. Why?"

"To stop infection," Ravenheart replied.

Mosspelt nodded satisfactorily. "As for the soreness, I'd go with elder roots or willow bark. Is it inflammation or sprain?"

"Inflammation, I believe," Ravenheart replied.

There was the sound of paws outside. Ghostwind turned to see a small, silver tom with gray stripes and light yellow eyes entering the cave. It was Volepaw, Mosspelt's apprentice.

"Oh, hello! I didn't realize you had a patient," Volepaw said. "I was wondering what was keeping you. There's a gigantic fresh-kill pile outside, Mosspelt!"

Mosspelt's yellow eyes twinkled. "I thought there would be. Whiskerstar and Squirrelflower reuniting the Clan is something to celebrate, as well as defeating that dog pack. Can you fetch a few roots of comfrey and three or fours leaves of marigold? We'll need a mouthful of elder leaves, as well."

Volepaw scurried into the back of the cave. He rustled around among the herbs before hurrying back over with leaves and roots dangling from his jaws. Mosspelt glanced over them when he dropped them in front of her.

"Good job, Volepaw," Mosspelt praised. "Were you told when the feast will begin?"

Volepaw shook his head. "Whiskerstar's out hunting with Squirrelflower and everybody else. He hasn't announced anything today, other then to tell everyone it was time to hunt!"

Mosspelt and Ravenheart laughed shortly.

"Alright, Ghostwind. Why don't you lie down there? Ravenheart, would you mind doing the poultice for his scratches? Just chew up the comfrey and then dribble marigold juice into the pulp. Volepaw and I can rub the elder leaves into his sore muscles," Mosspelt said.

Ghostwind stretched out on the cool stone floor of the medicine den as the three cats chewed up the herbs. His nose was inundated with the fresh scents coming from the comfrey, marigold, and elder leaves. He closed his eyes and just listened to the cats as they worked. It wasn't long before Mosspelt and Volepaw began to rub the elder root pulp into his aching muscles. They licked all traces of it away, their tongues rhythmically rubbing away the soreness as well. When they were finished, Ravenheart carefully applied her poultice to his few scratches. They stung a little, but the pain went away quickly.

"There. Feeling better?" Mosspelt wondered as she licked the last bits of poultice from her paws.

Ghostwind stood and stretched. "Yes, much better. Thank you. I thought I wasn't going to be able to move today."

Mosspelt put her tail over Volepaw's shoulders. "You have three great medicine cats looking over you. If we can't get rid of a little soreness, I don't know who can."

"Except maybe StarClan!" Volepaw exclaimed. He turned to look at his mentor. "Can I go out and see if the fresh-kill pile got any bigger?"

Mosspelt nodded, and the apprentice hurried out of the den without a backward glance.

"He's such an excitable kit!" Ravenheart said.

"Yes," Mosspelt purred. "But he's also very talented. He knew the names of half my stock of herbs before he was apprenticed, and all he did was watch me treat our Clanmates when they came in with scratches and thorns and stomachaches. StarClan was good to me when they brought him into the world."

"You deserve such a wonderful apprentice," Ghostwind said.

Mosspelt flicked her tail in his direction. "Oh, you humble me. I only do my best for my Clan." The joking glint in her eyes disappeared as they softened. "I have to thank you for trusting StarClan in bringing you here. Not many cats would have been brave enough to make such a journey to help cats they'd never met before."

Ghostwind bowed his head to her. "I have to admit, it wasn't easy. There were times all of us wanted to quit and go home. Especially right at the beginning."

"That's right," Ravenheart gasped. "RiverClan is full of greencough! I can't believe I'd forgotten!"

"Eaglefeather and Swanpool's Clan?" Mosspelt's eyes filled with worry. "That's terrible! StarClan watch over that poor Clan."

"We'd head back now, if we could," Ghostwind said. "But after everything that happened yesterday..."

Mosspelt shook her head. "It's best for you all to rest here, at least for a few days. Ashflower is in no shape, physically or mentally, to be traveling. Even if I did give you all traveling herbs, you wouldn't get far."

"All cats of SkyClan, gather beneath the Rockpile for a Clan meeting!"

"Oh! Whiskerstar must have gotten back from hunting!" Mosspelt stood with a purr. "Let's go! I'd like to see that fresh-kill pile before it gets eaten!"

The three of them slipped outside. Ravenheart touched Ghostwind's shoulder with her tail and led him over to where Ashflower was sitting with the others. Mosspelt split off from them to go and look at the fresh-kill pile with her apprentice.

"Ghostwind, you look so much better!" Eaglefeather said.

"Thanks, Eaglefeather," he replied, suddenly wondering how beat up he must have looked last night.

"You looked pretty bad last night," Ashflower whispered to him, her silvery-green eyes filled with jest. "Almost as bad as me, and I came away with more injuries."

Ghostwind smirked at her. "Stay out of my head, mouse-brain!"

"Nice to see you're feeling well enough to joke," Tigerflame muttered. He was sitting next to Moonmist, who swatted him with her tail.

"Tigerflame means he's glad to see you're awake finally," Russetfrost translated with a quick smile at his brother.

Fernstripe peered around from Eaglefeather's other side. "Don't pay attention to them, Ghostwind. You really do look much better."

"Thanks," Ghostwind said again.

"So, how does it feel to know you're the one who came up with the idea how to get SkyClan back together?" Eaglefeather swept his tail over the ground as he wrapped it around his paws.

Ghostwind didn't get a chance to reply because Whiskerstar had stood up. The gray tom looked down at all of the cats below him before speaking.

"Seeing as I already made a long speech last night, and I'm sure many of you are anticipating a juicy feast after all our hard work hunting this morning, I'll keep it short! Let's eat!"

Yowls of excitement flew through the air as Mountainpaw, Brazenpaw, Tanglepaw, and Flypaw pounced onto the fresh-kill pile, dragging away squirrels to give to the elders, Longwhisker and Roundnose, and the queens, Sweetleaf and Creamheart. Ghostwind waited for the rest of SkyClan to pick from the pile before heading over with Ashflower to find something. He picked out a plump mouse and trotted away to stretch out with Ashflower.

Early afternoon sunlight warmed his coat as he took the first bite of his mouse. It was the most delicious thing he'd eaten in what felt like forever. How long ago had he been able to enjoy a meal so much?

"We've been away from home over a quarter of a moon," Ashflower said as she swallowed a bite of her mouse.

"Has it really been that long?" Ghostwind gaped. It felt like so much longer than that!

She nodded solemnly. "I wonder what's been going on at home since we left."

He shook his head. "We won't know that until we get back."

"I'm so sorry, Ghostwind. We could be heading back right now, if I hadn't gone and gotten hurt so badly," Ashflower said.

He swatted her with his tail. "Don't beat yourself up, mouse-brain. It's nice to be able to relax. We did what the prophecy asked. We helped reunite SkyClan! Now we can relax, rest, and then head home."

Her fur began to lie flat again. "You're right."

Ghostwind took another bite of his mouse and swallowed before saying, "Of course, heading home would be nice, too..."

"Oh, shut up, you big furball!" Ashflower laughed.

Ghostwind was just finishing off his mouse when Darkbreeze walked over with Mountainpaw. The apprentice was dangling a large thrush by the wing. Her silver eyes were shining with pride as she dropped the thrush in front of Ghostwind and Ashflower.

"I caught this and thought you and your friends might like to share it," Mountainpaw said.

Ashflower hooked a claw in the thrush and dragged it toward her. "Thank you, Mountainpaw. That's very nice of you!"

"I'm going to have my warrior ceremony today!" Mountainpaw blurted out.

Ghostwind purred. "Congratulations, Mountainpaw!"

"I'm sure your entire Clan is very proud of you," Ashflower added.

Darkbreeze was looking down at her apprentice with the utmost happiness. "I trained her the best that I could. I know Roughpine is looking down on her with pride."

A pang of guilt spread through Ghostwind as he thought about the last time he'd seen Roughpine alive. Why hadn't he and Tigerflame followed the SquirrelClan deputy's advice and stayed quiet? They never would have been attacked if it hadn't been for their loud mouths.

_Stop beating yourself up, Ghostwind! That could have happened to anybody! Roughpine died fighting for his Clan. He was a noble SkyClan cat to the end_, Ashflower said in his head.

"Runningstream is so happy," Mountainpaw was saying. She ducked her head down and sheepishly said, "I've been trying to avoid her ever since she got out of Mosspelt's den. I just know she's going to fuss over me!"

Ashflower smiled. "I wish I had my mother to fuss over me right now. I really miss her. And you can't blame her for wanting to fuss over you. It's just what mothers do when their kits are growing up to become warriors."

Mountainpaw looked wide-eyed. "Is your mother in StarClan?"

"No," Ashflower said. "But she's back in ThunderClan, and I know she's worrying about Ghostwind and me like crazy."

The apprentice looked at Darkbreeze. "I'm going to go find Runningstream!" Without a backwards glance, she darted off to look for her mother.

Darkbreeze watched Mountainpaw go with an almost sad look in her eyes.

"Darkbreeze?" Ghostwind looked at her.

The black she-cat shook her head. "I'm okay. Just remembering how far Mountainpaw has come in her training. She was a little tornado in that fight yesterday. I taught her well."

Ashflower purred loudly. "That's a great accomplishment. I can't wait to have an apprentice of my own when we get home."

Darkbreeze nodded. "Both of you would make great mentors. I'm off to find Swiftnose. I'll talk to you later."

"Bye," Ghostwind said as she went off.

"I'm going to go take some of this thrush to the others," Ashflower said. "Be right back." She picked up the bird by its wing and trotted off to where the others were sunning themselves.

Ghostwind began to clean his whiskers, trying to wash away the last bits of mouse. He heard pawsteps approaching and looked up to see a pretty cream and tan she-cat with amber eyes. He recognized her as Creamheart, a pregnant queen.

"You're Ghostwind, right?" Creamheart questioned.

"Yes," he replied.

With a sigh, she pressed her stomach to the ground and tucked her paws up under her. "My name is Creamheart, and I've been a member of SkyClan my entire life. But I made a mistake. My kits are not the kits of any SkyClan cat. My mate was a rogue tom. I...I thought he loved me just as much as I loved him, but...he left when I told him I was having his kits."

"Why are you telling me this?" Ghostwind questioned.

Creamheart sighed and closed her eyes. "My Clanmates don't treat me like they used to before I mated with a rogue." She opened her eyes and stared at him. "I would like to go with you when you leave."

* * *

**End of Chapter Seventeen**


	20. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Warriors, but I do own the characters of this story! Please don't steal them.

* * *

**Chapter 18**

* * *

Ghostwind opened his eyes when someone prodded him awake. He looked up to see Ashflower standing above his head. She turned slightly and touched her shoulders with her tail-tip. With a cry, Ghostwind struggled out of his nest.

"Your shoulders are healed!" Ghostwind purred.

Ashflower's eyes were glinting. "I just went to see Mosspelt. She says we're all rested enough to travel home."

"This is great news!" Ghostwind shouted, waking the others.

"What's going on?" Tigerflame grumbled, pulling his tail from his eyes.

Moonmist gave a large yawn as Fernstripe stretched beside her.

"Ashflower, your shoulders are all healed!" Eaglefeather said when he realized that her pelt was free of spiderwebs. "And did I hear that Mosspelt says we can go home?"

"Finally!" Fernstripe said, standing.

It had been a quarter moon since the day of the feast, when Creamheart had asked Ghostwind if she could go with them back to their homes around the lake. After much discussion, Eaglefeather and Ghostwind had decided that they would bring Creamheart with them. They weren't sure what would happen to her when they got back to the lake. ThunderClan already had enough mouths to feed, and RiverClan might still be full of greencough. Moonmist or Fernstripe would probably be able to convince Graystar or Duskstar to accept Creamheart. Crimsonstar was out of the question; the last cat she'd accepted into the Clan was Pineroot, and he was a great fighter and provider for the Clan. But it wasn't like they could leave her behind when she so obviously wanted to go.

Eaglefeather stretched, his muscles rippling beneath his dark coat. "We should leave as soon as possible. Sunhigh sound good?"

"Yes," Ghostwind answered. "That'll give us time to say good-bye to SkyClan."

"We should go tell Whiskerstar our plans," Russetfrost suggested.

"Good idea," Eaglefeather said. "Ghostwind and I will go speak to him. The rest of you should go eat. Ravenheart, can you go let Mosspelt know that we'll need strengthening herbs?"

"Of course!" Ravenheart said, immediately slipping out of the den.

Ghostwind led the way out of the den and over to Whiskerstar's den. When they meowed outside, Whiskerstar called them inside.

"Good morning," Whiskerstar said. He was seated inside his den with Treewhisper, his deputy. It looked like they were discussing patrols for today. "What can I do for you?"

"Mosspelt says we're all well enough to go home," Ghostwind informed the SkyClan leader. "We'd like to leave by sunhigh."

Whiskerstar's light yellow eyes brightened. "That's wonderful to hear! I'm glad that you can finally return to your homes. I'm sure you're all homesick and have many loved ones who are missing you right now. Our dawn patrol should be returning momentarily, and no hunting patrols have left yet. The entire Clan should be here to say good-bye."

Ghostwind nodded. "We'll be outside, then."

Eaglefeather sighed happily as they padded over to the fresh-kill pile. "This is so great. We've fulfilled the prophecy and helped SkyClan. We were able to rest and heal fully without any problems. Now we can go home and tell all of our Clans what we did."

Ghostwind flinched at that last sentence. He didn't particularly want to tell his father and his Clanmates about killing Neo. But he did want to go home, not just to talk to his father about what he was going through, but to see Cottonclaw and Smudgewing and the rest.

Eaglefeather was looking through the fresh-kill pile when the two of them heard Fernstripe laughing at something. Ghostwind watched the RiverClan tom look up from the fresh-kill to look at Fernstripe. He knew Eaglefeather had come to care very much for Fernstripe, but he'd been able to hide it a little more than Tigerflame with Moonmist.

"What are you going to do?" Ghostwind whispered.

Pain crossed Eaglefeather's eyes. "I don't know what you mean."

Ghostwind smirked at him. "And hedgehogs fly. It's not hard to see the way you look at her, Eaglefeather. You've done better at hiding it than Tigerflame, but..."

"But nothing," Eaglefeather grumbled. "I'm RiverClan. She's LightClan. When we return to the lake, we'll part ways. Tigerflame and Moonmist will do the same."

Ghostwind wasn't so sure about that. Tigerflame wasn't the sort of cat who let himself feel for other cats. It was obvious he loved Russetfrost, but that was different because they were kin. And Tigerflame was still beating himself up over Roughpine's death, more so than Ghostwind. His love for Moonmist seemed to be the only thing that kept him from dwelling on Roughpine. But was that love stronger than his loyalty to ShadowClan?

"I don't know what I'm going to do," Eaglefeather whispered. His voice was choked as he stared at his paws. "I can't leave my Clan. Not now. Not when they need me so badly. And I won't ask Fernstripe to leave LightClan. She's Duskstar's daughter, and LightClan needs all the members it can get who believe in the warrior code as strongly as she does. That and she...she has Reekfur back home. I have...I have...my loyalty to my Clanmates."

"There's nobody back in RiverClan that you've taken an interest in?" Ghostwind wondered.

Eaglefeather sighed. "No."

"I'm sorry, Eaglefeather," Ghostwind said, touching the tom's shoulder with his tail-tip. "I shouldn't have brought it up at all."

Eaglefeather shook his head. "No. It's okay. I'm glad you did." He looked at Ghostwind. "I can't tell Fernstripe how I feel about her, but I know I can trust you to not tell anyone."

"Well, you know Ashflower already knows for sure," Ghostwind reminded him. "She's already read it in your mind. Not that she really tried to do it on purpose."

"I already figured as much," Eaglefeather said. "But I trust her not to say anything, too."

"We better hurry and grab something before the others think we're up to something," Ghostwind said, picking up a finch.

Eaglefeather grabbed a mouse for himself, and the two trotted over to where the others were waiting for them.

* * *

Ghostwind squinted as he looked up at the sun. It was nearly at its highest point in the sky. He glanced around the gorge at all of the cats gathering around. Many of the SkyClan cats looked sad to see that Ghostwind and his friends were finally leaving, but he knew they were also very happy for them. They were going home! After everything they'd been through to get here and everything they'd done to help SkyClan reunite and destroy the dog pack, they were finally on their way home.

"We thank StarClan for sending you to us," Whiskerstar began. "But most of all, we thank you for listening to their words and coming to help us. You did not know us, but you trusted in StarClan enough to venture here. You were able to reunite Squirrelflower and myself, which in turn reunited SkyClan. Never again will SkyClan part!

"From this day forward, SkyClan's current and future generations of warriors will know the story of Ghostwind, Ashflower, Ravenheart, Eaglefeather, Swanpool, Tigerflame, Russetfrost, Moonmist, and Fernstripe. They will know your story like they know the story of Firestar and Sandstorm. Your story ends today as you part from us.

"Once again, thank you for all that you have done for SkyClan. Your kindness and loyalty to StarClan will never be forgotten!"

Cats began to come forward, saying their good-byes and last thank yous.

"I'll miss you," Darkbreeze said. "Thank you, and have a safe journey."

Mountainclaw, the newest SkyClan warrior, pressed her nose to Ghostwind's cheek. Her silver eyes shown as she said, "Thanks! I know we'll probably never see each other again, but I won't ever forget what you did for our Clan!"

Treewhisper stepped forward. "Ghostwind, please don't blame yourself for my brother's death. Roughpine was a fine warrior. He was loyal to the very end. I know he'll watch over you and your friends as you travel home. I can only thank you once more for all you've done, and wish you luck getting home."

"Thank you, Treewhisper," Ghostwind replied as she walked away.

Mosspelt and Volepaw came over. Volepaw dropped strengthening herbs in front of him. The young medicine cat was smiling widely.

"Guess what, Ghostwind!" Volepaw said.

"What?" Ghostwind asked.

"I got my medicine cat name last night! I'm Voletongue now!"

"Wow! Congratulations!" Ghostwind said. "But I thought names were given only at the half-moon?"

Mosspelt chuckled. "StarClan made an exception in Voletongue's case. They wanted to pass a message to you through him."

Voletongue sat down and wrapped his tail around his paws. He lifted his chin proudly and said, "Speaking on behalf of all of StarClan, we thank you for your loyalty to us. You brought a group of cats from different Clans, with very different personalities, together to reunite a Clan you'd never met. SkyClan owes you much, but we owe you so much more. Thank you, Ghostwind."

Ghostwind nodded to the two medicine cats. "Thank you. For everything you've done to help us, and especially for helping Ashflower with her wounds."

Mosspelt smiled softly. "We're medicine cats, Ghostwind. It's our job to help heal wounds, no matter who it is we're helping. Good luck on your journey home, young one."

"Good-bye! Good luck!" Voletongue added.

The two medicine cats walked off to go speak to Ravenheart next.

Ghostwind bent down to eat the strengthening herbs. He was just finishing them off when Squirrelflower walked over.

"Thank you, Ghostwind," she said. "Without you and the others, I doubt Whiskerstar and I would have ever settled our dispute. I'm so sorry that our misunderstanding had to take you away from your home."

He shook his head. "Don't be sorry. Despite all of the horrible things that have happened, I've met some great cats. I've made friends I wouldn't have ever made if it hadn't been for this journey. I'm thankful for that."

Squirrelflower bowed her head to him. "You're a very special cat, Ghostwind. Don't ever forget that. I have a feeling that you'll go very far in your life."

Ghostwind sighed and stared at his paws. "I've been told that before. I never wanted to be special. I never wanted to have all these special powers and be part of a prophecy. But now I know that it's all my destiny. Every last part."

Squirrelflower touched her nose to his forehead. "Take care, Ghostwind. Have a safe trip home. And thank your father for letting you come. Without you, I don't think any of this would have happened. Thank you."

He watched her walk away, his heart constricting. She hadn't said anything to him about Roughpine. Did she forgive him for that?

"Ghostwind."

He turned to see Whiskerstar. The gray tom looked strong and happy. "I cannot say thank you enough times for what you have done. I would have to continue saying the words until I joined StarClan. What you've done was not simple. It was not something every cat could accomplish. You and your friends did this, and that alone is something to celebrate. I know that we'll never see each other again in this lifetime, but I'll look for you in StarClan. So I can say thank you again."

Ghostwind blinked as Whiskerstar nodded to him. The SkyClan leader walked away, following after his mate. He watched Squirrelflower turn when Whiskerstar called her name. The she-cat's pretty, sky blue eyes lit up when she saw Whiskerstar. The two cats pressed warmly against one another. The sight made him want to cry with loneliness.

_Smudgewing_, Ghostwind thought, tears coming to his eyes. _I miss Smudgewing so much_.

"Ghostwind," Ashflower said softly as she walked up. "It's time to go. We're ready."

Ghostwind looked at Whiskerstar and Squirrelflower once more. They looked so happy. And he was the reason they were together again. His heart swelled. Everything was going to be okay. SkyClan was whole again, and soon he'd be home with Smudgewing.

"Let's go," Ghostwind said.

The nine of them headed off into the forest. They stopped once to look back at all of SkyClan and wave their tails in farewell.

All was well in SkyClan once more, and soon they would be home.

* * *

Cottonclaw shredded the dry grass beneath his paws impatiently. A full moon was rising in the night sky. He was sitting with Whiskerheart and Skunkpelt by the camp entrance. It seemed like forever since they'd last had a Gathering, and this was the first since Ghostwind and the others had left. It had been over a half-moon since they'd left, and Cottonclaw was beginning to worry about them.

"Are we going soon?" Ebonypaw asked Palefur.

Darkeye and Cloverpelt's kits had their apprentice ceremony three days ago. Palefur was now Ebonypaw's mentor, and Nimbleclaw was Tawnypaw's. Rowanstar had talked with Cottonclaw the day before and decided that Sparrowkit and her brothers were strong enough to be made apprentices, and their ceremony would be tomorrow at sunhigh.

Palefur smoothed Ebonypaw's ruffled neck fur with a stroke of her tail. "Calm down, Ebonypaw. Rowanstar and Thunderstripe will be here soon, and then we can go."

Cottonclaw glanced up at their leader's den above Highledge. Rowanstar and his new deputy had been inside talking for longer than usual before a Gathering. Then again, there were quite a few things that had happened since the last Gathering. They were probably trying to figure out what to discuss and what to keep to themselves.

Finally, there was movement. Rowanstar and Thunderstripe scrambled down from the leader's den and landed lightly on the camp floor. They padded slowly toward the awaiting cats who'd been chosen to go to tonight's Gathering.

"Is everyone ready?" Rowanstar asked.

"Ready as we'll ever be," Maggotstripe purred.

It was strange that Ravenheart wasn't there. Maggotstripe looked so lonely without her apprentice by her side.

Rowanstar flicked his tail and ducked into the camp entrance. Thunderstripe and Maggotstripe followed quickly after. Rainfur and Darkeye went next, followed by Palefur, Nimbleclaw, and their apprentices. Cottonclaw let Skunkpelt go ahead of him and followed her through. Whiskerheart brought up the rear.

The tunnel entrance opened to reveal a clear, cool night. The trees had lost all of their leaves some days ago and their bare branches left jagged silhouettes against the sky. Silverpelt stretched far across the darkness. The full moon lit up the night with its silvery light.

Rowanstar led them toward the lake. Cottonclaw ran between Skunkpelt and Whiskerheart, their pelts brushing every once in a while. He heard Ebonypaw and Tawnypaw excitedly whispering to one another as they ran in between their mentors. It felt like forever ago that he, Ghostwind, and Ashflower were that young. And they hadn't been so carefree since they were kits, a time that Cottonclaw felt had slipped by much too quickly.

The lake appeared ahead of them, and Rowanstar slowed down. They made a single file line along the lakeshore, staying within three tail-lengths of the water. Crickets chirped loudly in their ears as they passed through WindClan territory. The quiet lapping of water on mud was nearly drowned out by the crickets.

It wasn't long before they reached the log that led to the island. Cottonclaw watched closely as Palefur and Nimbleclaw helped their wobbly apprentices cross the huge log. Rowanstar motioned for Cottonclaw to go ahead of him, so he clambored up the slippery bark and across to the pebbly shore on the other side.

Rowanstar dropped down onto the shore and glanced around. He opened his mouth to taste the air, and Cottonclaw copied him. ShadowClan and WindClan were already here, but there was no sign of RiverClan or LightClan yet. Together, the ThunderClan cats pushed their way through the undergrowth into the clearing in the middle of the island.

"Wow," Darkeye whispered to Rainfur. "There aren't many cats from ShadowClan and WindClan tonight."

Rainfur glanced around. "Yes. It seems that way."

Cottonclaw looked around. The two older warriors were right. Other than the leaders, deputies, and medicine cats, both ShadowClan and WindClan only had about five or six warriors and apprentices present. That was unusual. Most of the time, there were up to fifteen cats from every Clan.

"Hello there, Cottonclaw," a voice said.

He turned to see a black tom with a white muzzle and chest and amber eyes walking toward him. The last time he'd seen this cat, he'd been a new apprentice at his very first Gathering.

"Hello," Cottonclaw said, not sure what this cat's name was now. He had to have received his warrior name by now.

"I'm Brackenthorn now," the tom laughed. "How have you been? It's been a while."

Cottonclaw nodded. "I'm doing well. What about you?"

Brackenthorn shrugged his shoulders. "I'm doing great. Prey is running well in WindClan. I caught an enormous rabbit this morning. It fed all of the elders."

"Brackenthorn!" a new voice called out, and a black and white, WindClan she-cat apprentice came bounding over. She saw Cottonclaw and tilted her head at him. "Who's this?"

"This is Cottonclaw from ThunderClan," Brackenthorn replied. "What is it, Lilypaw?"

The she-cat apprentice widened her eyes at Brackenthorn. "There are two new ThunderClan apprentices! Ebonypaw and Tawnypaw! They're really nice!"

"Cloverpelt's kits are apprentices now?" Brackenthorn looked at Cottonclaw.

Cottonclaw nodded. "Yes. They had their ceremony three days ago."

Lilypaw gave a little leap of excitement. "I'm going to go talk to them some more!" She dashed away to find Cottonclaw's Clanmates.

Brackenthorn's ears twitched. "I hear another Clan arriving."

The two of them sniffed at the air.

"Smells like LightClan," Cottonclaw said.

Sure enough, Duskstar appeared from the shadows, leading a small number of his warriors into the clearing. Cottonclaw saw Duskstar look around at all of the other cats before padding over to where Rowanstar, Graystar, and Crimsonstar were sitting.

"I wonder what's taking RiverClan so long," Cottonclaw wondered aloud. "They're closer to the island than some of us, and they're usually here by now."

Brackenthorn looked tense now. He glanced over his shoulder at some of his Clanmates. "I've...um...gotta go. It was nice talking to you. See you around."

_That was strange_, Cottonclaw thought to himself as a familiar cat walked up. It was Reekfur from LightClan. The tom's yellow eyes were filled with curiosity.

"Hello, Cottonclaw," Reekfur said. "RiverClan haven't arrived yet?"

"No," Cottonclaw replied.

"Strange," Reekfur murmured. He glanced around the clearing at the other cats chatting with each other. "Aren't they usually some of the first to arrive?"

"RiverClan's coming!" someone called.

Heads turned as five RiverClan warriors walked out of the shadows and into the moonlight shining down. Lionstorm was in the lead. Cottonclaw looked around behind them, but he could see no more RiverClan cats. Featherstar was not with them, nor Blossomfur and Heatherpaw. Something was not right here!

Whispers floated through the air as Lionstorm led the four other RiverClan warriors into the crowd. Lionstorm headed straight for the tree where the leaders stood to speak to the Clans.

"Lionstorm, what...?" Rowanstar started, but the brown tom jerked his tail to silence the ThunderClan leader.

"I am here at the request of Featherstar," Lionstorm said. "You four may speak first. Then I will say what I have come here to say." With that, the tom bunched his muscles and leapt up into the tree to settle on the branch that Featherstar usually sat on.

Rowanstar, Crimsonstar, and Duskstar looked at one another with worry as Graystar climbed into the tree to sit on his usual branch. Hesitantly, the other three leaders clambored up the tree. They looked at one another briefly before Crimsonstar began to speak.

"ShadowClan is doing well. Prey is running and all of our mouths are being fed. Honeyshine gave birth to two kits. Sorrelkit is doing fine, but the little tom was stillborn. ShadowClan moarns this tragedy, but we are still glad to have another warrior in our Clan." She paused, as if thinking about what else to say. "That is all that I have to say."

Burntpelt from ShadowClan yowled in protest, but Crimsonstar quieted him with a glare.

Cottonclaw wondered what Burntpelt was upset over, but he didn't really get a chance to think about it because Duskstar was speaking next.

"LightClan is doing well. We dearly miss my daughter, Fernstripe, but we all know that she is on a journey set out for by StarClan. We trust that our ancestors will watch over her closely. It is our deepest wish that she returns soon, successful in her mission.

"We lost one of our elders a quarter moon ago. Grubleaf died peacefully in his sleep. We know that he watches over us now in StarClan. He will be missed in the Clan.

"Though LightClan has lost a dear member, we have gained a new warrior, as well. Pebblepaw, Thornpool's apprentice, was given his warrior name, Pebbleclaw!"

"Pebbleclaw! Pebbleclaw!" Cats from each Clan shouted happily.

Cottonclaw saw the young black tom lift his chin proudly.

"That is all that I have to report. Rowanstar, would you like to speak next?"

Rowanstar nodded to Duskstar. "Thank you, Duskstar. ThunderClan has a few things to report. First, I am sad to report that my deputy, Granitetail, has retired to the elders' den. He has lived a long and happy life in our Clan, and it is now his turn to rest and be taken care of by our apprentices. It is my greatest joy now to announce my choice for my new deputy. Thunderstripe has replaced Granitetail as deputy of ThunderClan.

"Second, ThunderClan has two new apprentices. Welcome Cloverpelt's kits, Ebonypaw and Tawnypaw, whose mentors are Palefur and Nimbleclaw. They are here tonight at their very first Gathering."

There were a few cheers for the two sisters, the loudest coming from Lilypaw.

Rowanstar continued when the cheers stopped. "Third, Summerflower has discovered she is having the kits of Stormtail, my nephew. Though she isn't far along, she has moved to the nursery with Gingerheart and Stormypelt.

"That is all that ThunderClan has to report tonight."

All eyes fell on Graystar, the last to speak before Lionstorm addressed the gathered cats. Cottonclaw unsheathed his claws in his impatience.

Graystar sighed softly before he began. "WindClan doesn't have much to report. Our prey is running freely and everyone is well fed. Rustclaw and Merryclaw discovered that they are having kits, and WindClan now anxiously awaits the arrival of our new warriors. That is all."

All eyes were now on Lionstorm. There was complete silence in the clearing as the cats anxiously waited to hear what the RiverClan deputy had to say.

Lionstorm's silver eyes raced over the faces of the cats watching him. He stood on the branch and began to address the gathered Clan cats before him. "Featherstar regrets that she could not make it tonight. She has sent me in her place to announce what should have been announced earlier. There is greencough in RiverClan."

"What?" Burntpelt of ShadowClan hissed, teeth bared.

Briarfoot from ShadowClan and Needleclaw from LightClan gasped loudly.

"Is that why you've been stealing prey from us?" Crimsonstar demanded. "How bad is the greencough, Lionstorm?"

Lionstorm's eyes filled with pain. "We've lost Fogpelt, an elder, and two of our senior warriors, Whiskerclaw and Nightflower. Our only apprentice, Echopaw, is sick, as well as Timberpelt, Hazelsweet, Maplerose, Brushgrove, Peachfur, and Yellowheart. Two more of our elders, Willowfoot and Boldstripe, and a young warrior, Jollypelt, started showing signs of the sickness just this morning."

"Great Starclan, Lionstorm!" Rowanstar yowled. "How could this have been going on for so long? Why haven't you asked for help?"

Lionstorm shook his head. "Featherstar ordered that we weren't allowed to tell anyone. She made Blossomfur and Heatherpaw swear by StarClan they wouldn't say anything. She went so far as to threaten them with exile if they told."

"Then why are you telling us now?" Graystar asked, his voice solemn. Cottonclaw wondered why the old leader seemed almost calm compared to the others. Had Graystar already known what was happening in RiverClan?

"I'm telling you now because Featherstar lost a life to this sickness already," Lionstorm explained. "She's gotten sick again...and she's on her last life."

**

* * *

End of Chapter Eighteen**


	21. Chapter 19

**Author's Notes:** What? I haven't updated since April? Seriously? Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry! I've been working really hard on Chapters 19 through 22. I kept tweaking them here and there. Now they're ready to be posted and read by you, my wonderfully patient readers! Sorry for the long wait.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Warriors, but I own the characters, plot, and designs. Please don't steal from me.

* * *

**Chapter 19**

* * *

There were sympathetic moans throughout the gathered cats. Cottonclaw glanced at the four RiverClan cats Lionstorm had brought with him. He recognized Ashwhisker, the son of Featherstar. The gray tom's head was bent low, his ears flat. His Clanmates were huddled around him, every once in a while glancing at him sorrowfully.

"Poor Ashwhisker," Rainfur whispered. Cottonclaw looked over at her, and she shook her head at him. "Featherstar is his mother, and Peachfur is his pregnant mate."

Cottonclaw, feeling pitiful, turned back to listen to what Lionstorm was saying now.

"...apologize for keeping this from you all for so long. Featherstar thought everything was under control, but it's obviously not. We need your help. I know you can't give up your entire stores of catmint, but whatever you can spare will help us greatly." Cottonclaw flicked his ears when Lionstorm paused and took a deep breath. "RiverClan will be in your debt."

There was a sudden wail from the direction of the log that connected the island to the lakeshore. Numerous heads turned as a single, gray she-cat came bounding through the bracken. Cottonclaw's heart clenched when he realized it was Willowsky, his mother's RiverClan sister. He couldn't believe how tired and scrawny his aunt looked in the moonlight as she bounded through the crowd.

"Willowsky, what is it?" Lionstorm called softly.

The she-cat's sides heaved. The clearing was so silence that her pants seemed to echo into the night. Finally, Willowsky lifted her head and yowled,

"Featherstar is dead!"

Even before the echoes of Willowsky's voice had gone, Ashwhisker's wails of pain flew through the night air. Cottonclaw's heart froze with the sound. He bowed his head as the other cats in the clearing began to cry out in shock. The sounds of their misery felt like sharp thorns in Cottonclaw's gut. He just wanted to run back to camp and forget what was going on here. It was like he could actually feel the pain of Ashwhisker's loss, feel the shock and pity rolling around the minds of the other cats.

"That's enough!" Rowanstar screamed, silencing the clearing once more. His yellow eyes were flashing as he turned to Lionstorm. "ThunderClan grieves for your loss, Lionstorm. I will speak to Maggotstripe and have her bring you all the catmint we can spare. You need it more than we do now."

Lionstorm nodded to ThunderClan's leader, his eyes betraying nothing, but his shoulders sagging with the enormity of the situation.

"ShadowClan will give you all that we can spare, as well," Crimsonstar said.

"WindClan, too," Graystar murmured.

"LightClan sends their prayers, Lionstorm," Duskstar said. "I will speak to Tuskclaw and see what catmint we can spare for your Clanmates."

"Thank you. All of you," Lionstorm said, his voice only slightly shaky. "RiverClan will be in your debt. Every member thanks you, from our oldest to our youngest. Thank you."

Cottonclaw watched Lionstorm jump down from the tree. He gathered his few Clanmates with a flick of his tail, and led them through the parting crowd. As the RiverClan cats passed, Cottonclaw felt another jolt of misery pass through him.

"Are you feeling alright?" Whiskerheart asked as he padded up.

Cottonclaw flicked his whiskers. "I'll be okay. I just...feel sorry for RiverClan."

"Yeah," Whiskerheart sighed. "Rowanstar just signaled. We should go."

"I'll catch up in a moment," Cottonclaw replied.

He watched Whiskerheart move away to join their Clanmates. Rowanstar was speaking quietly to Thunderstripe, most likely about RiverClan and Featherstar. Cottonclaw couldn't believe that Featherstar had lost two lives to greencough! It had to be horrible in RiverClan right now.

"Hello, Cottonclaw."

He looked up at the sound of an unfamiliar voice. A black tom with bright yellow eyes was sitting next to him, but he couldn't remember seeing him walk up. Cottonclaw glanced around and realized that the clearing was empty, and the last few ShadowClan cats were disappearing into the bushes.

"Who are you?" Cottonclaw asked, turning back to the tom.

The cat bowed his head. "I'm an acquaintance of your father, though he wasn't alive during my lifetime."

"So, you're a StarClan cat?"

"I am a cat that walks the heavens, but I belong to no Clan," the tom replied sadly. "Not anymore. I once walked with SpiritClan, but they chased me out after I asked your father to destroy the Clan that I created...the Clan that SpiritClan watched over."

Cottonclaw was immediately suspicious. "You mean, you're Deathmask?"

The tom nodded.

"What are you doing here? Why are you talking to me?" Cottonclaw asked.

Deathmask's yellow eyes gleamed. "Because I have something important to tell you. Have you noticed that the rogue that was attacking ThunderClan cats has just...disappeared?"

Cottonclaw dug his claws into the earth. In all honesty, nobody in ThunderClan had really brought it up; most likely because it was such a relief that the attacks had stopped.

"Obviously you didn't think about it," Deathmask went on. "That rogue will no longer bring you trouble, but his comrades will in the future."

"His comrades? You mean the rogues that took over ShadowClan's territory?"

The black tom nodded. "Rowanstar tried to figure out how that rogue tom knew magick, but he ignored an old she-cat who was telling the truth. Bittertongue was right, Cottonclaw."

Bittertongue? Cottonclaw wracked his brains, trying to figure out what Deathmask meant, but he couldn't figure it out. "Deathmask, I don't unders..." He looked around, but the tom was gone. "Deathmask! Come back!"

"It's no use calling that old mangepelt," a cold voice hissed behind him.

Cottonclaw spun around to see three black cats. The tom standing a pawstep ahead of the others had yellow eyes. The second tom had green eyes, and the she-cat had blue. He didn't recognize them, and there were no scents coming from them.

"He ran away the moment he realized we were headed this way," the yellow-eyed tom snickered. "He's as scared a mouse, and he's no better than one, either."

"Who are you?" Cottonclaw demanded, unsheathing his claws.

"Who we are doesn't matter," the lead tom growled, his eyes turning to slits. "But we've come to give you a message of our own. If that flea-bitten piece of crowfood tries to talk to you again, tell him from us that we'll hunt him down and make sure we put him somewhere unpleasant for the rest of eternity. And to make sure the message gets across...!"

Cottonclaw yelped and jumped backwards as the yellow-eyed tom swung a paw at him. When the swing missed, the tom hissed furiously and thrashed his tail. His muscles bunched, and he launched himself at Cottonclaw. The tom collided with his shoulders, knocking the air out of his lungs. Cottonclaw was crushed beneath the tom, gasping for air. He kicked out with his hind paws and caught the tom's flank enough to push him off.

Suddenly, the she-cat's paws were pressing down on his shoulders. A sharp pain ran up his spine as he felt the teeth of the green-eyed tom digging into his tail. He screamed in protest and kicked out again with his hind paws, but the tom just dodged out of the way before sinking his claws into his tail this time.

"Get away from my son!"

Cottonclaw looked up to see Rowanstar charging out of the shadows. His ginger fur rippled as the muscles beneath bunched and uncoiled. He sprang at the yellow-eyed tom. His resolve renewed, Cottonclaw turned on the she-cat and tom still attacking him. One paw full of unsheathed claws scraped across the she-cat's face, and his hind paws connected with the tom's shoulders hard enough to send him flying.

Quickly, Cottonclaw struggled to his paws and turned to see Rowanstar viciously attacking the tom with the yellow eyes. His father's paws were blurs in the air as he slammed them again and again over the tom's ears.

"Get out of here, Decayingflesh! And if I ever see you near my son again, you'll get more than boxed ears!" Rowanstar snarled, lips pulled away to reveal his fangs, his ears flat against his skull, and his entire pelt standing on end so he looked triple his normal size.

The tom with the yellow eyes sneered once before all three of the cats disappeared.

* * *

"Can I say it?"

"Fine, Tigerflame," Ghostwind grumbled, tired of hearing the tom's incessant complaining.

"We're officially lost!" Tigerflame shouted, throwing his head back so that his voice echoed in the trees around them.

Eaglefeather stopped and glanced back at Tigerflame, his silver eyes slitted in frustration. "We are not lost! We just...don't know where we are, exactly."

"Eaglefeather, that's pretty much the definition of being lost," Swanpool said, rolling her eyes at her brother. "Can we stop and rest, now that we've figured out we don't know where we're going?"

Ghostwind sighed. "I don't get it. We followed the same path, just in reverse! How did we get lost?"

Ashflower flicked his shoulder with her tail. "Give it up, furball. We'll just have to turn around and go back to the Twolegplace. Someone there must know Abigail or Rodger. If we find one of them, they'll probably be able to send us in the right direction."

Moonmist licked a paw and ran it over her ears. "What if we're already going in the direction we're supposed to be going?"

Ghostwind looked at her. "What are you talking about, Moonmist?"

"_One friend from old, one who is quite bold. Two groups at war. The bold are looking for more. Know that conflict is not the answer. Find the eyes of terror and know that all is secure,_" she recited. "We never figured out the middle part of the prophecy, remember? What if we're supposed to fulfill it while we're still on this journey?"

The others all glanced at each other.

"Moonmist, I really hope you're wrong," Eaglefeather said.

The white she-cat twitched her tail. "Did anybody realize that we're heading in the direction of those big mountains in the distance?" She gestured with her tail for them to squint through the trees.

Ghostwind ran his tail impatiently over the grass as he looked at the mountains Moonmist had pointed out. There was nothing special about them, other than that they only reassured the fact that they were heading in the wrong direction. What was Moonmist going on about?

Moonmist sighed. "Weren't any of you told the stories about how our Clans had to move from the old forest to the lake?"

Ashflower gasped. "The Tribe of Rushing Water!"

"What about the Tribe?" Eaglefeather tilted his head.

Moonmist shrugged. "We got lost, and just _happened_ to start heading for the mountains where the Tribe lives."

"StarClan must be guiding our paws," Fernstripe murmured. "Moonmist must be right. What if the Tribe of Rushing Water is the 'friend from old' in the prophecy? They could be in trouble and need our help."

Ghostwind's heart sank. The more they talked about it, the more it made sense. It had seemed like they were following the right path back home, but they'd somehow found themselves headed in the direction of the mountains. The Tribe of Rushing Water would certainly be a friend from old; they had helped out the many ThunderClan, WindClan, RiverClan, and ShadowClan cats that had journeyed from the old forest to the lake.

"Ghostwind?" Ashflower prodded him. "Eaglefeather asked you a question."

He looked up. "Sorry. What?"

Eaglefeather stepped toward him. "Do we head for the mountains, or do we go back and find the Twolegplace to speak with Rodger and Abigail?"

Ghostwind's pelt grew hot. Why did all of the important decisions like this get left up to him? Just because he was more special than the others?

_You could always put it up to a vote_, Ashflower said in his head.

With a sigh, Ghostwind stood up. "The first part of the prophecy turned out to be true, and I can't ignore the fact that we started heading for the mountains without trying to." He glanced around at the others before turning to look at the distant mountains through the trees. "Let's go pay the Tribe of Rushing Water a visit."

* * *

"Cottonclaw, time to wake up," a gentle voice mewed in his ear.

Bright sunlight seared his eyes as he woke. With a grunt, he struggled into a sitting position and immediately realized he wasn't in the warriors' den. A strong scent of fresh herbs hung in the air, and Maggotstripe was sitting beside him.

"Good morning, sleepyhead," Maggotstripe purred. "How are you feeling after last night?"

Flashes of what had happened right after the Gathering passed through his head. After the mysterious black cats had disappeared, Rowanstar had explained to him that they were cats from SpiritClan. When Cottonclaw had said the he'd been visited by Deathmask, Rowanstar had gone silent for the longest time before saying they needed to get back to camp.

"Cottonclaw?" Maggotstripe prodded him with a paw. "Are you awake yet?"

He shook his head. "Sorry, Maggotstripe." With a groan, he lifted himself out of his nest. His shoulders ached and there were a dull, throbbing pain in his tail.

"Let me check that tail," Maggotstripe said.

He sat down and let her sniff at the scratches and bite marks. When he'd gotten back to camp last night, she'd put a poultice on the wounds but had forgone the cobwebs.

"Much better. You'll be healed within a few days," Maggotstripe said. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to check my store of catmint."

Cottonclaw was heading for the door when he paused and looked back at the medicine cat. "Maggotstripe, may I go with you when you take the catmint to RiverClan?"

"That's something you'll have to discuss with Rowanstar," she replied without looking at him.

"Cottonclaw!"

Something small and soft pummeled into his chest. He turned around and looked down to see Sparrowkit pressed up against him, her eyes wide.

"You're okay!" Sparrowkit shouted, stepping back. "You were attacked by SpiritClan cats last night! Your poor tail! That wasn't fair, fighting three against one like that! I can't believe Deathmask is such a coward he can't stand up to his own kits! I'm so glad Rowanstar was able to come to your rescue, but I bet he wouldn't have known anything was wrong if Ashfang hadn't told him." Her eyes widened even more. "Bittertongue is right, Cottonclaw! Don't you remember what she said when you went with Rowanstar and your siblings to talk to Duskstar and the other LightClan members? That rogue tom was taught magick by the DarkClan cats who refused to join LightClan."

"What is she babbling about?" Maggotstripe looked up from her herbs.

Cottonclaw glanced at the medicine cat over his shoulder. He hadn't revealed to anybody that Sparrowkit knew things she shouldn't. "She had a strange dream?"

Maggotstripe squinted at him. "Well, I would go talk to Rowanstar about her _strange dream_. It's not always the best idea to hide things from him."

Cottonclaw sighed. "Of course, Maggotstripe."

"There isn't a lot of catmint," Sparrowkit said suddenly. "Are we going to have any to give to RiverClan? They need it really bad. Hedgeblossom came down with symptoms this morning."

Maggotstripe gasped. "Sparrowkit, how could you know that?"

Sparrowkit looked at Cottonclaw. "Did I say something wrong?"

"No, of course not," Cottonclaw replied. He turned to the medicine cat, who was looking at them both in shock. "Sparrowkit knows things. She told me that she knows things from meeting cats. She probably learned of Hedgeblossom getting ill because I know her."

"Are you saying that she knows things without anybody telling her? And she knows it all just because she knows us, and we know the cats she learns about?"

Cottonclaw nodded. "That's a way of putting it."

"Sparrowkit, can I ask you something?" Maggotstripe asked.

Sparrowkit cautiously walked over to the medicine cat. "Yes?"

"Can you tell me what herb this is?" She put a paw on a bundle of leaves.

The young cat took a deep breath and began to talk, "Those are marigold leaves. The flowers are usually bright orange or yellow. The leaves are chewed into a pulp and used as a poultice on wounds to stop infection. It's mostly used along with goldenrod or dock."

"Very good," Maggotstripe said. "And can you point out which of these is the catmint?"

Sparrowkit pawed a small pile of leaves. "They smell really good, but we shouldn't eat them for pleasure because there isn't much, and it's the best remedy for greencough."

Maggotstripe turned to Cottonclaw. "Rowanstar is going to need to know what Sparrowkit is capable of. She's a very special kit."

"That's what my mother, Uma, told me all the time," Sparrowkit said proudly. Her eyes suddenly widened. "Badger attack!"

"What?" Cottonclaw yelped, his and Maggotstripe's pelts fluffing up.

Sparrowkit's tiny claws unsheathed. "Oakpelt's hunting patrol is getting attacked by a badger! Pebbletail told Stonepaw to come back to camp for help, but the badger just knocked him against a tree!"

"Where are they?" Cottonclaw demanded.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Near the ShadowClan border."

"We need more than that, Sparrowkit," Cottonclaw whispered.

Her eyes scrunched. "Close to the lake, but I can't see the lake."

"Good enough. Maggotstripe, take her back to the nursery," Cottonclaw said, turning and dashing out into the camp.

"Cottonclaw! Good morning," Darkeye said.

"Where's Rowanstar?" he snapped.

Darkeye jumped. "He's up in his den...!"

Cottonclaw took off. He reached the stone wall and began to clambor up as fast as he could. Without announcing himself, he pushed his way into Rowanstar's den.

Rowanstar stood up, turning away from Thunderstripe. "Cottonclaw! In StarClan's name, what's wrong?"

"Oakpelt's hunting patrol is getting attacked by a badger!"

"Where are they?" Rowanstar asked.

"Near the ShadowClan border, towards the lake," Cottonclaw replied.

Rowanstar and Thunderstripe pushed past him, scrabbling down to the Highledge. Cottonclaw went after them, overshooting them and landing heavily on the camp floor. He looked up as Rowanstar gave a yowl.

"Mistmeadow, Pureheart, Skunkpelt, go with Cottonclaw! Oakpelt's patrol is in danger!" Rowanstar shouted.

Cottonclaw jumped to his paws and rushed toward the entrance. Mistmeadow, Pureheart, and Skunkpelt appeared. Together, the four of them dashed through the tunnel and out into the forest.

"Where are they?" Pureheart asked.

"Follow me!" Cottonclaw replied.

He ran toward ShadowClan's border, the others beside him. Their paws thundered on the dry ground, the brittle grass crunching beneath their pads. Cottonclaw's heart thumped in his chest as they reached the border. He veered to the left, heading for the lake. Moments later, the shrieks of fighting cats reached their ears. They pelted through a group of twiggy bushes to find Pebbletail, Coldfur, and Sootpelt fighting a gigantic, male badger.

Without bothering to look around, Cottonclaw launched himself at the badger. His claws sunk into the monster's shoulders. The thing shook itself, and Cottonclaw was thrown into one of the bushes he'd just hurtled through. He struggled out of the bush in time to see the badger lumber off toward ShadowClan, Pureheart and Skunkpelt on its heels.

"Oakpelt!" Coldfur screeched.

Cottonclaw turned. Coldfur and Sootpelt were standing above the motionless body of Oakpelt. Dreading the worst, Cottonclaw walked over. Sootpelt nudged Oakpelt's shoulder with his nose, but the tom did not respond. Cottonclaw stared at the gray tom's shaggy sides, trying to see if he was breathing. But his sides weren't moving.

"He's gone, Coldfur," Sootpelt whispered, voice choking.

"No!" Coldfur shouted. He pressed his paws into Oakpelt's shoulders and shook him. "Oakpelt, wake up! You can't die! Not now! Oakpelt, wake up! Open your eyes!"

But Oakpelt was gone.

* * *

"Oakpelt!"

Cottonclaw cringed as Rainfur came bounding forward. He let go of Oakpelt's scruff and looked up in time to see Rainfur's expression change from one of worry to one of horrible realization.

"No!" Rainfur screamed, pressing herself against the cold body of her brother. Sootpelt draped his tail over his mother's shoulders as she sobbed. Coldfur paced restlessly beside his father's body, his tail dragging in the dirt.

Stormtail slipped out of the nursery. When he saw his aunt pressing herself against Oakpelt, his eyes widened. He staggered over and looked down at his father's lifeless body.

More of their Clanmates were coming forward. Smudgewing gasped loudly at the sight of Oakpelt. Meadowbreeze's eyes filled with pain. Quickpelt wrapped her tail around Pebbletail's shoulders as Forestclaw sat down beside them, his eyes wide. Nimbleclaw screamed and pushed her way through the crowd to get to her mother's side. The other elders were glancing at one another in shock.

"Excuse me."

It was so quiet in the camp that the words sounded too loud and harsh. Heads turned and cats stepped aside as Rowanstar walked forward. Rainfur's sobs hung in the air as the leader sat down beside her.

"Rainfur," Rowanstar said, touching his half-sister's flank with his tail.

"Why Oakpelt?" Rainfur sobbed, looking up at Rowanstar with her eyes streaming.

"We all join StarClan at some point, Rainfur. It was his time to go," Rowanstar said, his voice soft now.

Pebbletail came forward. "He died protecting Stonepaw, Rainfur. He was very brave."

Hearing this, Mistmeadow gasped and pushed through the crowd to find her son. Stonepaw groaned impatiently as his mother looked him over.

"Mistmeadow! I'm fine!" Stonepaw said, trying to slip away.

Maggotstripe walked over to Oakpelt and the cats around him. She only glanced at Oakpelt's body before focusing on Rainfur. "Come on, Rainfur. You can moarn Oakpelt in a moment. You need to gather yourself."

Cottonclaw watched the medicine cat lead Rainfur, Nimbleclaw, and Sootpelt to her den. Maggotstripe was probably going to give the wailing she-cat some herbs to help with the shock of losing her brother so suddenly. He felt a small paw press into his side, and he looked down to see Sparrowkit staring up at him with terrified eyes.

"I didn't warn you soon enough," Sparrowkit whispered. He light amber eyes filled with tears. "If I had warned you sooner, Oakpelt wouldn't have died."

Cottonclaw put his tail around Sparrowkit and touched her forehead with his nose. "Sparrowkit, listen very closely. You know that my brother, Ghostwind, can see the future. When he was an apprentice, he learned that he couldn't stop his Clanmates from dying, even if he'd seen their deaths before they happened. Even if you had warned me earlier, there was nothing we could have done to stop Oakpelt from joining StarClan."

The little tortiseshell pressed her face against his shoulder. "I still feel like he could have been saved if I'd just known sooner."

"The fate of our Clanmates isn't up to you," Cottonclaw told her. "It's all up to StarClan. Oakpelt lived a long, fulfilled life. He was a good warrior. We have to remember that."

Sparrowkit's ears flattened against her head. "Even if he betrayed ThunderClan when he mated with Maplerose?"

Cottonclaw glanced around, hoping nobody had heard that. For once, his Clanmates were treating Oakpelt with respect. He was pretty sure many of them were thinking about Oakpelt's big mistake, but none of them were willing to bring it up out loud. "Sparrowkit, don't let anyone hear you saying that. No matter how many mistakes Oakpelt made, we must only think about the good things he did. Okay?"

Sparrowkit nodded. "I understand, Cottonclaw."

Cottonclaw turned to see Meadowbreeze looking at him. Her light green eyes were filled with empathy for Oakpelt's family and her own pain at losing a Clanmate, but there was love in her eyes as she looked at him, and that gave him strength.

* * *

**End of Chapter Nineteen**


	22. Chapter 20

**Author's Notes:** Whoo! Long chapter is long! This came out to nine pages in my word document. Most chapters only get to 6 or 7 pages! Enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Warriors, but I own the characters and plot. Please don't steal from me.

* * *

**Chapter 20**

* * *

"We've been walking all day! Can't we take a break yet?" Tigerflame called from the back of the group, where he was watching Ravenheart helping Creamheart along. The queen hadn't complained once the entire time.

Ghostwind sighed. He knew how the ginger ShadowClan tom felt. His paw pads were aching and cracked from walking on the stony pathways of the mountains. They had been walking as much as they could, with few stops, trying to get to the mountains as quickly as possible.

"Yes, please," Ravenheart said. "Creamheart needs a good rest."

Eaglefeather jumped up onto a boulder and looked around. "Okay. I think we've gone far enough today. Ravenheart, do you think there are herbs around here to soothe our paws? None of us are used to walking on so much rock."

"Dock would work," Ravenheart said, watching Creamheart as she spread herself out in a shady spot beneath another boulder. "Ashflower, will you help me look?"

"Yes, of course!" Ashflower said.

Ghostwind sat down and began to lick his paw pads gently. The others began to curl up in shady spots, but Eaglefeather stayed up on his boulder. With a sigh, Ghostwind stretched out in a grassy patch to continue running his tongue over his aching paw pads.

It wasn't long before Ravenheart and Ashflower came back, both with mouthfuls of broad, green dock leaves. The two she-cats moved around the group, chewing up the leaves and applying the pulp to everyone's sore pads. Ghostwind sighed happily as Ashflower massaged his sore paws.

"Thanks, Ashflower," Ghostwind whispered tiredly.

Ashflower flicked his ear with her tail. "You need some sleep, Ghostwind."

He grunted in response. "Somebody should keep watch."

His sister laughed softly. "I think Eaglefeather already has first watch. Get some sleep, Ghostwind."

He closed his eyes and drifted to sleep to the sound of Ashflower's purrs.

* * *

"Badger!"

Pebbletail gasped as a huge gray monster reared up out of the bushes in front of her. Oakpelt dodged around her and launched himself at the badger's face. The thing swatted him aside with a single paw.

"Stonepaw, run back to camp! Get help!" Pebbletail screeched, her pelt fluffing out to make her look twice as big.

Coldfur and Sootpelt were sneaking along the ground, circling the badger as it roared at them. Stonepaw went to run, but the badger lunged forward, smacked the young apprentice, and sent him rolling. With a screech of anger, Oakpelt flew through the air and landed on the badger's shoulders. His teeth tore into one of the badger's round ears as his claws scored down the back of the badger's head.

With a grunt, the badger tossed its head and flipped Oakpelt off. Oakpelt landed in front of the badger, who reared back and slammed a paw down on him. Snorting, the badger turned back to face Pebbletail, Coldfur, and Sootpelt.

But the rest of the scene was blurred and quiet. Ghostwind could only stare at the broken body of his uncle. Oakpelt's yellow eyes slowly closed, and his side stopped moving.

"No!" Ghostwind gasped, his eyes opening.

"Ghostwind! Calm down!" Eaglefeather dodged his flailing paws. "It was just a dream!"

Ashflower wailed. "That wasn't just a dream!"

Panting heavily, Ghostwind struggled to a sitting position. He looked around to see the others all awake, staring at him with wide eyes.

"Ghostwind, what's the matter?" Moonmist whispered.

His paws gave way, and Ghostwind's chin hit the grass. "Oakpelt. He's...dead."

"What?" Swanpool gasped.

"We saw the whole thing," Ashflower whispered, her eyes wet. "There was a badger attack, and the badger killed him."

"Isn't Oakpelt your father's half-brother?" Tigerflame questioned.

Russetfrost batted his brother's ear with his tail. "That's why they're so upset. Oakpelt is...was their uncle."

"But, how do you know it wasn't just a dream?" Eaglefeather's voice choked.

Ashflower shook her head. "That vision was sent to us by StarClan. They wanted us to know our kin had died." She looked up at the sky, which was beginning to lighten in preparation for a new day. Few stars were left twinkling now. "It was the least they could do, for sending us out on this journey to abandon our Clanmates."

Ghostwind licked a ruffled patch of fur on his chest. "We should get moving, since we're awake already. Is anybody willing to hunt?"

"I will," Eaglefeather said. "Swanpool, do you want to go with me?"

Swanpool stood. "Sure."

"I'll go, too," Fernstripe said.

Eaglefeather cringed. "Okay. Moonmist, why don't you go with Fernstripe? The two of you can find something for Creamheart. We'll hunt for the rest of us."

Fernstripe looked worriedly at Eaglefeather, but the tom turned to his sister. "Let's try this way. I saw a path that leads to some ledges where there might be mice hiding."

"Come on, Fernstripe. We can try over this way," Moonmist said.

Ashflower pressed her nose to Ghostwind's shoulder. "I wonder how Rainfur is doing. She must be devastated."

"I'm sure she is," Ghostwind whispered. "But she has every right to be. She's already lost her parents, her mate, and one of her kits. And now she's lost her brother."

"I have a feeling Rowanstar is helping her deal with the loss," Ashflower said.

"Well, he is her half-brother. If he can't help her through her grieving, I don't know who could," Ghostwind agreed.

They waited for Eaglefeather, Swanpool, Fernstripe, and Moonmist to get back with the fresh-kill. The catch was quite small, and they gave the biggest portion to Creamheart.

"You really don't have to feed me more than yourselves," Creamheart protested. "I'm just lucky you accepted to bring me along in the first place. There's no reason to treat me like this."

Ravenheart twitched her tail, affronted. "I'm a medicine cat. I wouldn't be doing my duty if I didn't see to it that you got as much food as possible. It doesn't matter whether you feel guilty or not for asking us to bring you along. We're going to treat you with the respect a pregnant queen deserves."

Creamheart ate her meal without any more objections.

Once everyone had eaten something, they began moving again. The sun was barely lighting up the scenery when they reached one of the highest peaks on the mountain they were climbing. Side-by-side, they looked down at a lush, green valley spread out between their mountain and the next one over. Thick pine trees lined the valley where the mountains sloped down, leaving a large clearing in the middle. The morning sun lit up the entire field of grass, which was still green despite the season.

"That looks like the perfect place to find some prey!" Eaglefeather said.

Ghostwind glanced back the way they'd come. He could see the Twolegplace in the distance. They'd traveled a long way in such a short time. Perhaps they deserved a day of rest down in the little valley. Climbing the mountain was more strenuous than he'd thought, and a day of plentiful hunting would do them all some good.

"Let's rest down there," Ghostwind said aloud. "Just for today. We can gather our strength and eat as much as we can catch. Then we can start up the mountainside again tomorrow."

"That sounds wonderful!" Moonmist purred.

Cautiously, the group meandered their way down the slope. They all sighed happily when their paws touched down on wet grass rather than gritty stone. Birds chirped sleepily from the trees. A soft, sweet-smelling breeze blew through the beautiful valley and shook the branches of the pine trees.

Tigerflame rolled onto his back, purring. "I don't think I've been so happy to see grass. And there are pine trees here, just like at home!"

Moonmist stretched out beside him, running her paws over the grass again and again.

Ghostwind slumped to the ground and spread himself flat on the grass. There wasn't enough dew to make his pelt uncomfortable. He closed his eyes and breathed in the cool air. When was the last time he'd felt so peaceful, if ever?

Ashflower laughed, making him open his eyes. She was chasing after a squirrel that had been hiding in the grass. Russetfrost went after her, his laugh rising through the air when Ashflower stumbled in a rabbit hole. Moonmist giggled at Ashflower's clumsiness.

"Let's hunt!" Eaglefeather said. "Swanpool, do you think we could find a stream with some fish around here?"

Swanpool's eyes glistened at the idea of catching some fish. "I'm not sure, but it can't hurt to go look! Let's try further into the valley. There might be a run-off stream back there."

"Don't get lost," Ghostwind called to the RiverClan siblings as they padded off.

"We won't!" Eaglefeather called over his shoulder happily.

Ashflower came trotting back, the squirrel clamped in her jaws. She flicked her tail joyfully as she placed it in front of Creamheart. "Here you go!"

"Oh, thank you, Ashflower!" Creamheart purred. "Squirrel is one of my favorites."

Ravenheart stood up. "I'm going to go search the valley and see what sort of plants are here. It would be spectacular if I could find some strengthening herbs to help us."

"What a great idea, Ravenheart!" Ashflower jumped to her paws. "I'll help you! Together, we'll be able to search the valley faster."

Ravenheart turned to Fernstripe. "Fernstripe, could you stay with Creamheart while I'm gone?"

"I don't need a babysitter," Creamheart said, looking up from her meal.

"It would make me feel better if someone was with you," Ravenheart told the pregnant queen. "Just in case."

"It's okay with me, Ravenheart," Fernstripe said. She sat down next to Creamheart. "I'm sure there's something we can do."

"Hey, Moonmist! Do you want to go hunting with me and Russetfrost?" Tigerflame called from where he'd been whispering with his brother.

Moonmist laughed. "Sure! I can teach the two of you the right way to catch prey that's faster than you! Think there are any rabbits in this valley?"

Ghostwind realized that everyone except Fernstripe and Creamheart were walking away to hunt for prey or search for herbs. He sighed and looked up at the brightening sky to see that the stars had all disappeared for the day.

"Ghostwind, do you want to come with us? Creamheart and I are going to find a shady spot to sit and chat," Fernstripe said. "I thought we could maybe come up with some name choices for Creamheart's kits."

He looked over at the two queens. "No, I was thinking of going and hunting by myself."

Fernstripe shrugged her shoulders. "Suit yourself."

The two she-cats walked away toward a group of pine trees. Their laughter flew back to Ghostwind on the wind. Everyone else had something to do, and now that he thought about it, hunting didn't sound as fun as it had a moment ago.

Maybe a walk would do him some good. He hadn't been truly alone like this in the longest time. It felt good to stand up on his paws and trot through the wavering grass. Though the valley wasn't quite like ThunderClan's territory, it felt much more like home than the rocky mountain paths. Thinking about home made him remember that Oakpelt was dead. He should have been home to comfort his Clanmates. Instead, he was out here, far away from home, with cats who weren't his Clanmates.

He didn't really notice, or care, where he was going. His paws led him through clusters of pine trees and over rocky boulders. The birds continued to twitter, and the breeze continued to flap the branches of the trees that arched over his head. A nut fell out of a tree, and when he looked up he caught a glimpse of a bushy tail disappearing around a trunk. He breathed in deeply, relishing in the clean, pure mountain air.

Ghostwind continued his walk. A worn path opened up beside him. Wondering where it would lead, he veered off to follow it. There was the scent of rabbit and deer on the path. Was there a chance it led to a stream or river that the animals used?

Soon, he came to a fork. The way to the left was filled the same scents of rabbit and deer, but the path on the right was less worn. Huge bushes obscured his vision of parts of the path leading to the right. Deciding he didn't want a run-in with any deer, he took the path to the right. Thorns reached out to try and tangle in his pelt, but he ducked and crept along on his belly to escape them.

It wasn't long before the bushes thinned out. The path was harder to follow now, and the only indication of it was the shorter grass and sparce patches of dirt. He was so focused on figuring out what was path and what was not that Ghostwind didn't realize he was in a clearing until he looked up. What he saw made the fur along his back stand straight up and his paws quiver.

Two gigantic boulders stood side-by-side on the other side of the clearing. Ivy and bramble tendrils had grown up around the sides, but for some reason the sides of the boulders facing Ghostwind were clear of any plant-life. It was in those sides that two thick, shadowed cracks had formed. From his position on the other side of the clearing, the two boulders looked as if they were huge, cat eyes filled with terror.

"The eyes of terror," Ghostwind whispered.

A screech suddenly echoed all around him and a pain jabbed him right between his shoulder-blades. He flipped over and kicked out with his hind legs, sending whatever was attacking him flying. The white lump skittered across the ground. Before Ghostwind could twist back to his paws, he was being slashed at by more thorn-sharp claws.

"Leave this place, rogue!" a furious voice hissed in his ears.

Ghostwind lashed out, his own claws connecting with flesh. The other cat was distracted long enough to allow Ghostwind to jump back to his paws. He realized that he was now facing two well-fed, white toms with fire blazing in their eyes. The younger white tom was much skinnier and had eyes as blue as the sky, while the older tom was thicker in the shoulders with dark yellow eyes.

"I'm not a rogue!" Ghostwind snapped at the two of them.

"Loner, then?" the younger tom sneered. "We don't care what you are! This is our sacred place, so go find somewhere else to hunt!"

"Sacred place?" Ghostwind let his fur lie flat. "The eyes of terror are sacred?"

The two toms glanced at each other briefly.

"How did you know that is what the boulders are called?" the older tom questioned, suspicion in his dark eyes.

"I was sent here by a prophecy," Ghostwind replied, "given to me and four other cats by our warrior ancestors in StarClan."

"You're a Clan cat?" The older tom's eyes widened. "You've traveled far, young'un. But why are you here? What does this prophecy say about our Mooneyes?"

"Mooneyes?" Ghostwind flicked an ear.

"It's the true name for the boulders," the younger tom said. "Told to me by the heavenly cats who speak to me." His blue eyes narrowed. "They might be StarClan cats, for all I know."

"Forget about that," the older tom said. "What is this prophecy you mentioned?"

Ghostwind sat back on his haunches and recited the middle of the prophecy, "_One friend from old, one who is quite bold. Two groups at war. The bold are looking for more. Know that conflict is not the answer. Find the eyes of terror and know that all is secure."_

"Two groups at war?" The older tom sat down and wrapped his tail around his paws. "I have a feeling you're looking for the Tribe of Rushing Water, then. They're currently at war with a group of rogues wanting this entire mountain range for themselves."

Ghostwind nodded. "That's what my friends and I figured. We were on our way to see the Tribe of Rushing Water when we saw this valley and decided to stop and rest for the day."

"What's your name, young'un?" the older tom wondered.

"My name is Ghostwind," he replied.

The eyes of the two cats looked as if they were about to pop our of their faces. Ghostwind twisted his ears back worriedly.

"Did I say something wrong?" he wondered.

"No, young'un," the older tom said. "But have you ever heard of a cat named Ghostlight?"

* * *

Cottonbrave slipped out of the warriors' den the morning after Oakpelt's death. The Clan was more subdued than usual. Cottonbrave looked toward the center of the camp to see Coldfur was still curled up beside Oakpelt's body. Had the poor tom gotten any sleep last night? Rainfur had slept in Maggotstripe's den with Nimbleclaw and Sootpelt.

"Morning, Cottonbrave," Pureheart said. The scarred tom was sitting beside the entrance of the warriors' den with Forestclaw.

"Hello," Cottonbrave answered. "Have you seen Rowanstar this morning?"

Pureheart gestured toward the medicine cat's den. "He went to speak to Rainfur, most likely. The elders will be taking Oakpelt to be buried soon."

He nodded thankfully to the older warrior before walking away. Hopefully, Rowanstar wasn't so focused on the death of his half-brother that he'd forgotten their promise to give RiverClan as much catmint as they could afford to give.

The medicine den smelled sharply of herbs, as usual. He slipped into the shadows, blinking as his eyes adjusted. Rainfur was sitting up in a nest in the corner, her kits touching her shoulders their their tails. Rowanstar and Thunderstripe were sitting with Maggotstripe, looking at their store of catmint.

Rowanstar turned around. "Cottonbrave." He nodded. "What brings you in here?"

Maggotstripe's whiskers twitched. "Cottonbrave was interested in helping me bring the catmint to RiverClan." The she-cat's light brown eyes were filled with worry. "It may be a good idea to have a warrior with me."

Rowanstar thought about it for a moment before he nodded. "Yes, that is a good idea. I doubt ShadowClan will attack you on your way there, and RiverClan is in too much need of the catmint to threaten you. However, it's always a good idea to be cautious."

"Thank you, Rowanstar," Cottonbrave said.

"Before you go, I'd like to speak to you, Cottonbrave," Rowanstar said. "Will you take a walk with me? You and Maggotstripe can leave once we've finished."

"Of course, Rowanstar," Cottonbrave replied.

He followed his father out of the medicine cat's den and into the forest a little ways. Rowanstar was looking tense, but Cottonbrave gathered that his father had a lot on his mind at the moment.

"I've decided it's time for Sparrowkit and her brothers to have their apprentice ceremony," Rowanstar said. His yellow eyes bore into Cottonclaw. "Was there something you wanted to talk to me about Sparrowkit?"

Cottonclaw fidgeted. "Maggotstripe mentioned it already?"

"She was rather vague with the details," Rowanstar grumbled good-heartedly. "All she told me was that I should speak to you about how special Sparrowkit is."

"Special would be an understatement," Cottonclaw answered. "Sparrowkit...knows things. She just has to know a cat to learn about cats or situations that they know about. She knew that Hedgeblossom from RiverClan came down with greencough symptoms, and that I'd gotten attacked by those SpiritClan cats after the Gathering. Nobody told her about either of those events."

Rowanstar was quiet for the longest time. Cottonclaw sat patiently, knowing that this information was something his father would need to think long and hard about. Finally, Rowanstar sighed heavily.

"It seems to me like StarClan is putting a lot of trust in ThunderClan," he said. "Three kits with special abilities, and now a forth has been dropped into our paws so suddenly." He shook his head. "We'll hold the apprentice ceremony when you and Maggotstripe return from RiverClan. I have chosen you as Sparrowkit's mentor. Whiskerheart and Springfoot will mentor the brothers."

"Thank you, Rowanstar. It means a lot to me to mentor Sparrowkit."

Rowanstar shrugged his shoulders. "It's only right that a such a special cat like yourself mentors a special cat like Sparrowkit. Good luck with her. She seems like she'll be a pawful. You can go back to Maggotstripe now. Say hello to Lionstar for me, and please send my condolences. RiverClan needs all the prayers they can get."

"I will, Rowanstar." Cottonclaw turned away and padded back into the camp.

A few more cats had appeared from their dens. Ebonypaw and Tawnypaw were dragging fresh-kill to the nursery. Quickpelt and Granitetail were sitting beside Oakpelt's body. Coldfur had disappeared. Cottonclaw briefly wondered where the tom had gone before he turned to go back into Maggotstripe's den.

Rainfur was out of her nest and stretching. Sootpelt and Nimbleclaw were sitting next to one another, their shoulders tense. Cottonclaw knew the two siblings had never really gotten along, but it seemed they were trying to now for the sake of their grieving mother.

"Ready, Cottonclaw?" Maggotstripe asked, catching his attention.

"Do you need any help carrying the catmint?" Cottonclaw asked.

The medicine cat shook her head. "No. I can manage." She bent down and picked up the catmint, which she'd wrapped up in broad leaves that were turning brown at the edges. She flicked her tail to indicate he should lead the way.

Cottonbrave sent one last glance at Rainfur and her kits before heading out. He and Maggotstripe walked across the camp, side-by-side. Maggotstripe stopped halfway across and put her package of herbs down beside Oakpelt's body. She touched her nose to the dead warrior's head.

"Find peace in StarClan, Oakpelt," Maggotstripe murmured. "And watch over your son. I've a feeling he's going to need some heavenly guidance."

Cottonbrave flicked his ear, trying to pretend he hadn't heard her words. The she-cat solemnly picked up her herbs again and nodded to Cottonbrave. She began to walk toward the exit, but Cottonbrave hesitated. He looked down at Oakpelt's lifeless body. Someone had smoothed down his long fur, but it didn't hide the fact that his body was broken where he'd been hit by the badger.

"Maggotstripe is waiting for you," Quickpelt whispered.

Cottonbrave glanced up at the medicine cat. She'd already reached the exit, but she flicked her tail at him to let him know she'd wait a moment for him. With a sigh, Cottonbrave looked back down at his uncle. He hadn't known Oakpelt very well. All he really knew was that Oakpelt had mated with a RiverClan she-cat and fathered Coldfur that way. But the old tom had been a powerful asset to ThunderClan, and now he was gone.

"Good-bye, Oakpelt," Cottonclaw whispered. "You'll be missed." He touched his nose to the tom's cold forehead before running over to join Maggotstripe.

* * *

Cottonbrave paused on the ShadowClan border. Maggotstripe looked at him questioningly.

"Sorry, Maggotstripe," he said to her. "It's just...I'm remembering the rogues that invaded ShadowClan's territory."

She put her herbs down. "They're gone now, Cottonbrave. The only thing to worry about on ShadowClan's territory is an irritable ShadowClan cat."

He nodded. "Of course, Maggotstripe."

The medicine cat picked up her herbs once more and led the way over the border. Both of them made sure to stay within three tail-lengths of the water. Cottonclaw was so focused on the proximity of the water, he didn't realize they were being followed until Maggotstripe stopped in front of him.

_Fox dung_, Cottonclaw said to himself as the ShadowClan cats surrounded him and Maggotstripe. What was their problem? Didn't they realize Maggotstripe was a medicine cat?

"Greetings," Pineroot, the broad-shouldered silver and cream tom in front of Maggotstripe, said. "I smell catmint in those herbs you have. Were you taking that to RiverClan?"

Maggotstripe set the herbs down between her front paws. "Yes, these herbs are for RiverClan."

"Well, then, we'll be taking them from you," the ginger tom with the white paws and chest sneered. Cottonclaw recognized him as Furyclaw.

"These herbs are for RiverClan," Maggotstripe repeated. "You will not be taking them."

Cinderbranch, a brown tom with a white chin, grunted. "You have one warrior to protect you, Maggotstripe. Just give up now, and neither of you will be harmed."

Cottonclaw's neck fur stood on end. He unsheathed his claws. "That was a challenge, if I've ever heard one!"

Maggotstripe flicked her tail at Cottonclaw. "Calm yourself. These are rational cats. They know they don't need this catmint as much as RiverClan does."

Pineroot sneered, his ears flat. "Thanks to RiverClan, there is greencough in ShadowClan! You're trespessing on our territory, so we have all the right to take your catmint!"

Cinderbranch suddenly lunged forward. Cottonclaw dodged to the side, swiping backward with his claws. Furyclaw came at him from behind, but he rolled away into the water. The two toms advanced on him. Cottonclaw glanced sideways to see Maggotstripe dodging Pineroot's paws, the catmint clamped firmly in her jaws.

Using his paws, Cottonclaw splashed water into Cinderbranch's and Furyclaw's eyes. They yowled and rubbed at their faces with their paws. Cottonclaw chose that moment to disappear. His heart thundered in his chest as the two ThunderClan toms reopened their eyes.

"Where...where did he go?" Cinderbranch gaped.

Furyclaw looked around furiously. "He must be hiding! Or he went underwater!"

"But he's ThunderClan, not RiverClan!" Cinderbranch looked confused.

Cottonclaw slowly crept out of the water, carefully putting his paws down in the mud as the two toms spun around and around looking for him. He waited for Furyclaw to turn away again before he pounced and crushed the older tom beneath him. Furyclaw yowled in terror, twisting around and seeing nothing but knowing something was attacking him.

"Furyclaw?" Cinderbranch yelped as he watched the ginger tom flailing about.

Cottonclaw jumped off, still remaining invisible. He crept around Cinderbranch as Furyclaw struggled to his paws, panting. Trying not to laugh, Cottonclaw batted Cinderbranch's flank with a paw. The young tom jumped and spun around to see what had touched him.

"Run!" Furyclaw snarled. "Pineroot, let's get out of here!"

Furyclaw didn't have to tell Cinderbranch twice. Both toms dashed off into the shadows of the trees. Pineroot stopped his attacks on Maggotstripe to watch his Clanmates. With a disgruntled growl, he took off after them.

"I had a feeling they wouldn't stick around for very long," Maggotstripe said.

Cottonclaw turned to her. He noticed her shoulder was red with blood. "You're hurt, Maggotstripe!"

The she-cat shook her head. "It's not as bad as it looks. I kept the herbs, that's all that matters. Come on, before they bring reinforcements."

Cottonclaw didn't argue. Maggotstripe limped along beside him, moving as fast as she could with a damaged shoulder and herbs clamped in her jaws. Cottonclaw admired the fact that she didn't stumble once. He was glad when the RiverClan border appeared. They crossed into the watery territory just as another ShadowClan patrol came running toward them.

"You better not come back this way!" Cottonclaw heard Foxstripe shout after them.

"And you better not cross our border!"

Cottonclaw turned to see a RiverClan patrol approaching them. At the head was Woodpuddle, a dark brown tom. The one who had shouted back at ShadowClan's patrol was Ashwhisker, Featherstar's son. He also recognized Scorchfur and Secretflower.

Ashwhisker bounded further ahead than the others as they got closer. He looked much happier since Cottonclaw had last seen him, at the Gathering where everyone had found out Featherstar was dead.

"Hello," Ashwhisker said. "I see you've brought us some herbs."

Maggotstripe nodded.

"Follow us," Ashwhisker said. "We've separated the healthy from the sick. Blossomfur's den has been moved, as well."

The four RiverClan cats lead them toward the center of their Clan's territory. Cottonclaw's paws were soaked by the time they reached a bramble thicket hidden in the reeds.

"Blossomfur!" Ashwhisker called through the entrance.

A pretty, silver she-cat with light blue eyes poked her head out of the den. "Blossomfur isn't in right now." She saw Maggotstripe. "Maggotstripe! You're here!" She slipped all of the way out of the den, and Cottonclaw noticed her tail was striped black, like a raccoon tail.

Maggotstripe dropped the catmint at the paws of the young she-cat. "I've brought the catmint that ThunderClan promised. Will you tell Blossomfur I said hello, Heatherpaw?"

"I knew you'd come through for us!" Heatherpaw's striped tail lashed through the air in her happiness. "Thank you, Maggotstripe!"

"You're very welcome, Heatherpaw," Maggotstripe said with a nod.

"If you're ready to head home, we'll escort you to our border with WindClan," Ashwhisker said. His whiskers twitched. "Unless you _want_ to get your pelts shredded by ShadowClan?"

"What was their problem, anyway?" Cottonclaw asked. "Pineroot said they had greencough in ShadowClan, too."

Heatherpaw frowned. "ShadowClan gave you trouble on your way here?"

"There's no reason to be concerned, Heatherpaw," Maggotstripe said. "We can manage. But we'll take up your offer to go through WindClan's territory instead. There was enough _pelt shredding_ today." She looked at Ashwhisker with sarcasm in her eyes.

They said good-bye to Heatherpaw and followed the RiverClan patrol toward the main camp, where the still-healthy cats were living.

"Would you be willing to speak to Lionstar briefly before you go?" Ashwhisker wondered as they walked. "He'll want to thank you for bringing the catmint."

Maggotstripe looked at Cottonclaw. "Do you think we have time?"

Cottonclaw knew that Sparrowkit and her brothers were probably anxious to have their apprentice ceremony, but Rowanstar had asked him to say hello to Lionstar. "Rowanstar wanted me to pass on a message to Lionstar, so we might as well."

They continued onward to the entrance of the camp. Cottonclaw was surprised that the camp smelled so much like sickness, even though the healthy cats were living here. Maggotstripe was looking around worriedly, so she must have caught the smell, too.

"Lionstar!" Ashwhisker called out as they entered the camp.

Cottonclaw's eyes widened. The camp was in dismal shape. Rotting prey was stacked up too close to the fresh-kill, and scraps from already eaten meals were strewn about. Dirty bedding was stacked up outside the entrances of the dens. This wasn't what a camp was supposed to look like.

Ashwhisker went to find Lionstar. Woodpuddle and Scorchfur padded away quickly to duck into a den where Cottonclaw could hear mewling. He remembered that Sunpatch, Scorchfur's sister and Woodpuddle's mate, had recently given birth to kits.

"It's pretty dismal around here, isn't it?" Secretflower, the only RiverClan cat who hadn't padded away, said. "Our only apprentice, Echopaw, is sick. Lionstar chose Ashwhisker as his deputy, but many of the cats refuse to listen to his requests to do the normal apprentice duties." She ran her tail through the air at the camp. "This is the result."

"Don't they realize having the camp like this only increases the threat of the disease spreading faster?" Maggotstripe's lip curled.

Secretflower's silvery-blue eyes were dull. "There isn't much motivation around here to do anything. Many of the cats have stopped hunting. They all think we're being punished by StarClan." She looked upwards at the sky. "My mother is sick. I hunt for her as much as I can, but I don't know whether the fresh-kill I catch is even going to her. None of the healthy cats are allowed anywhere near the sick den."

They heard a wheeze suddenly. Cottonclaw turned to see a white she-cat dragging herself out of a den. He could see from here that her eyes were streaming.

"Sick cat!" Secretflower shouted.

A silver cat with dark gray spots darted out of another den. Cottonclaw recognized her as Blossomfur, RiverClan's medicine cat. Blossomfur ran over to the white she-cat, and helped her to her paws.

"It seems like every day, there's a new cat leaving to the sick den," Secretflower said. Her shoulders suddenly shook as she coughed into the dirt.

Maggotstripe looked worriedly at Secretflower. "Are you okay?"

Secretflower's eyes widened. "Of course! It was just a tickle." Her eyes squeezed shut as she was taken over by another bout of coughing.

"Sick cat!" Maggotstripe shouted.

Blossomfur looked up from helping the white she-cat limp along. The RiverClan medicine cat's light green eyes were filled with weariness.

"I'm not sick!" Secretflower argued. "I'm not!"

"Come along, Secretflower," Blossomfur called. "You're strong enough to help me get Whiteflower to the sick den."

Cottonclaw watched as Secretflower padded over to the medicine cat. She didn't look back at them. Cottonclaw could see the slump in her shoulders.

"I'm sorry it took so long," Lionstar said as he approached with Ashwhisker. He saw them looking at Secretflower and Blossomfur helping Whiteflower. "Two more heading to the sick den?"

"I pray to StarClan that this epidemic doesn't spread too far," Maggotstripe said. "ShadowClan attacked us on our way here because there's greencough in their midst."

Lionstar shook his head. "You know that we don't ask for this, Maggotstripe. It just happens. And we have to do whatever we can to survive. I'm sorry ShadowClan attacked you on your way here. Sometimes, even the warrior code is broken in desperation to help Clanmates."

"Like stealing food from WindClan?" Cottonclaw asked, remembering how he, his siblings, and his father had stumbled upon the tom being chased by WindClan cats.

Lionstar's eyes flashed. "I was following the orders given to me by my leader. Would you defy such orders from Rowanstar if you knew the food would help your Clan?"

Cottonclaw didn't respond.

RiverClan's new leader looked at Maggotstripe. "Thank you for the catmint. RiverClan will use it wisely. Your help will be remembered in the future."

Maggotstripe nodded.

"Rowanstar says hello, and he sends his condolences to your Clan," Cottonclaw said.

Lionstar sighed heavily. "Thank him for me. Now, I think it is time for you to go. Ashwhisker can escort you to our border with WindClan. Good-bye."

They didn't say anything as Ashwhisker led them away from the camp, but Cottonclaw's brain was working harder than ever. RiverClan's greencough epidemic was much worse than had been let on, and Lionstar had already made it seem terrible. Had RiverClan really done something bad enough that StarClan would punish them like this? Or was this something that was completely out of the paws of StarClan? He hoped the answer to both questions was no.

* * *

**End of Chapter Twenty**


	23. Chapter 21

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Warriors, but I do own the characters and plot for this story. Please don't steal.

* * *

**Chapter 21**

* * *

Rowanstar paced back in forth in front of his nest. Maggotstripe and Cottonclaw had told him everything that had happened after they'd left, from ShadowClan attacking them to witnessing RiverClan cats with greencough. ThunderClan's leader looked distressed.

"Rowanstar?" Thunderstripe meowed.

The ginger tom finally stopped his restless movement. He looked at each of them, his eyes roaming their faces slowly. "You've brought such terrible news to ThunderClan. I hate to announce that RiverClan's greencough epidemic is much worse than we were already made to believe." He looked at Maggotstripe. "Can we afford to give them any more catmint?"

Maggotstripe's brown eyes filled with distress. "Rowanstar, I hate to admit it, but I gave them more than we could afford already. The catmint plants on our territory are dwindling because of the oncoming leaf-bare."

"Excuse me," a soft voice called from outside.

Rowanstar's ear perked at the sound. "Stormypelt? What are you doing out there?"

Cottonclaw swiveled his head around to watch his mother slip into Rowanstar's den. He'd never seen his mother look so sheepish.

"I'm sorry. I was curious as to what was going on," Stormypelt meowed. She looked at her paws. "Willowsky is in RiverClan, and I'm worried about her."

Rowanstar's yellow eyes softened. "Stormypelt, I'm so sorry. I completely forgot you had kin in RiverClan. I should have known you would want to know what was going on."

Stormypelt shook her head. "It's okay. I'm sorry I eavesdropped, but I might have a way we can help RiverClan, as well as gather more for our own catmint storage."

Rowanstar tilted his head. "What's that?"

"The Twolegplace," Stormypelt replied with a purr. "There are countless Twoleg nests with catmint plants. And they stay pretty fresh because the Twolegs take care of them."

Maggotstripe gasped.

"That sounds like a wonderful idea, Stormypelt. I'm not sure the other Clans will enjoy the idea of having to go into Twolegplace to fetch catmint, though," Rowanstar said.

Stormypelt twitched her tail. "It doesn't have to be something we do all the time. The catmint we find on our territories usually sustains us. But in severe times likes this, where many cats are losing their lives, isn't it the smartest choice?"

"RiverClan may not accept it, though," Rowanstar mumbled.

Thunderstripe snorted. "Rowanstar, they asked for any catmint that we could afford to give. Besides, if we help RiverClan now, they'll owe a debt to us. That could come in handy in the future."

Rowanstar glowered. "I don't want any other Clan in debt to us. We should help each other in times like this because it's the right thing to do, not because we are looking to have them in our debt." He sighed. "I will bring it up with the Clan after the apprentice ceremony. If any of them are willing to go to Twolegplace to fetch catmint, then I will allow them to do so."

"I think that's a great idea," Thunderstripe said with a nod.

Their leader flicked his tail toward the exit. "Then let's go. It's time for ThunderClan to have three new apprentices."

Cottonclaw scrambled down the rock wall behind the others. When he reached the ground of the camp, he looked around. More cats had woken up since he'd left with Maggotstripe, and many of them were milling around.

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" Rowanstar yowled.

The members of ThunderClan began to gather around. Cottonclaw saw Sparrowkit, Bearkit, and Mousekit come racing out of the nursery with Mistmeadow. The gray she-cat told them to slow down, and when the three kits finally sat she began to groom their ears. Bearkit wiggled away from her, looking disgruntled.

"My ears don't need to be cleaned again!" Bearkit said.

"You want to look clean during your ceremony, don't you?" Mistmeadow replied.

Cottonclaw purred. He didn't envy Whiskerheart. The tom's first apprentice was going to be a pawful, for sure. Bearpaw was the loudest of the three siblings because he was so opinionated. Sparrowpaw was a chatterbox, but Bearpaw was even louder than her. And compared to his brother and sister, Mousepaw was extremely quiet.

_They're like the animals Uma named them after_, Cottonclaw thought with another purr. _Sparrowkit chatters on and on like a dainty bird, Bearkit roars like a massive bear, and Mousekit is as quiet as a tiny mouse._

"We're gathered today to give three new ThunderClan members their apprentice ceremony," Rowanstar began. "Though they were not born in our Clan, they are still just as excited to be joining our ranks as any ThunderClan kit. We were entrusted by their dying mother to take care of them, and I am sure she is smiling down on us in happiness. Bearkit, Mousekit, Sparrowkit. Please come forward."

The three kits padded up beneath the Highledge, Bearkit in the lead. The little tom had puffed up his pelt to try and look bigger. Mousekit looked nervous as he followed his brother. Sparrowkit looked just as excited as she usually was. They stopped below the Highledge to look up at Rowanstar, who looked down on them with kindness.

"Bearkit, from this day forward you will be known as Bearpaw," Rowanstar said. He looked around at the cats gathered below him. "Whiskerheart, you will mentor Bearpaw. You, like Bearpaw and his siblings, were not born into ThunderClan. However, you have shown your loyalty to your adopted Clanmates time and time again. I hope that you can help Bearpaw learn our ways, just as you learned them."

Whiskerheart, his eyes bright, trotted forward. He bent down and touched noses with Bearpaw, whose own eyes were wide with anticipation. Whiskerheart jerked his head to indicate to his new apprentice to follow, and the two walked over to sit beside Palefur and Ebonypaw.

"Mousekit, from this day on, you will be known as Mousepaw," Rowanstar continued. His eyes sought out a she-cat from the group below. "Springfoot, you are smart and knowledgeable about our warrior code. I hope that you can teach Mousepaw what it means to be a true warrior."

Springfoot leaped forward. She touched noses with a hesitant Mousepaw before leading him over to sit beside Whiskerheart and Bearpaw.

"And last, but certainly not least, Sparrowkit. From this day until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Sparrowpaw," Rowanstar said. His eyes locked with Cottonclaw's. "Cottonclaw, you are a very special cat. It is only right that you mentor Sparrowpaw." Rowanstar paused and glanced around at all of the faces looking up at him. "StarClan sent us Sparrowpaw and her brothers for a reason. That reason is because Sparrowpaw has a StarClan given power, like my own kits."

A murmuring errupted in the Clan at this news. Cottonclaw flicked his ears when he saw Sparrowpaw's eyes widening in panic.

"Sparrowpaw knows about events before anyone tells her about them," Rowanstar explained. "She has a gift just as special as Ghostwind's ability to see into the future."

Cottonclaw squinted up at his father. _He's leaving out the fact that she the only way she knows of some events happening to cats she's never met is because those cats are acquaintances with cats she already knows. _

Rowanstar flicked his tail. "We welcome Bearpaw, Mousepaw, and Sparrowpaw to ThunderClan. Good luck, and may StarClan watch over you."

Cottonclaw bent his head down to touch his nose to Sparrowpaw. Her light amber eyes were still wide.

"Take a deep breath," Cottonclaw whispered to her. "Everything is fine." He led her over to Springfoot, Whiskerheart, and her brothers.

Bearpaw and Mousepaw were looking at her in wonder. It seemed the young she-cat hadn't told her brothers about her strange power. He hoped the two wouldn't be too hard on her.

"I have other things to discuss with you," Rowanstar said loudly, quieting the meows of congratulations and the cheering chants of the apprentices' new names. "Maggotstripe and Cottonclaw informed me after returning from RiverClan that the greencough epidemic is even worse than Lionstar made it seem..."

"What?" someone cried.

"How can that be?" Shadeclaw called out.

Rowanstar flattened his ears until the Clan had fallen silent again. "I know it must come as a shock to you all, but what Maggotstripe and Cottonclaw described to me was proof enough that RiverClan needs more than we can offer from our own stores of catmint." His yellow eyes filled with pain. "Maggotstripe and Cottonclaw were also attacked by ShadowClan warriors while they were on their way to RiverClan. There is greencough in ShadowClan now, as well."

More gasps echoed through the camp.

"What are we going to do, Rowanstar?" Pureheart called out. He was seated beside his sister, Palefur, and her apprentice, Ebonypaw.

"We can't give away any more of our own catmint!" Cloverpelt said worriedly. "If we do, we won't have enough for ourselves!"

Darkeye put a tail over her shoulders to try and calm her down.

Rowanstar lifted his chin. "Stormypelt has come up with a possible solution. We all know she used to live as a kittypet in the Twolegplace near LightClan's territory. She says that the Twoleg nests have many catmint plants that stay alive because the Twolegs take care of them. If we can gather catmint from those plants, we can give some to the other Clans and keep enough for ourselves, as well."

There was an eerie silence in ThunderClan's camp. Cottonclaw glanced around at the faces of his Clanmates. Many of them looked deep in thought.

"Does anyone want to volunteer to go?" Rowanstar asked, speaking just loudly enough that everyone could hear him clearly.

"Rowanstar," Cedarspirit said. All eyes turned to look at the ginger warrior. "It might be wise to speak with the leaders of the other Clans. Some of the cats may accuse us of gathering more catmint for ourselves if we only send ThunderClan cats."

Cottonclaw looked up at Rowanstar. The leader's yellow eyes flashed. "That is true, Cedarspirit. Thank you for suggesting it." He took a deep breath. "I will go to the other leaders, one by one, and ask them if they would like to send warriors from their Clans to fetch catmint. If they refuse, we will still bring them back catmint."

"Rowanstar, you shouldn't go by yourself!" Thunderstripe said. "At least take two warriors with you. I'll stay behind and keep the camp in order."

Rowanstar nodded once in agreement. "Darkeye and Silvermoon will come with me, then. We will leave tomorrow just after the sun has risen. That should give us enough time to reach all of the leaders by the time the sun sets tomorrow." He lashed his tail. "This meeting has ended." The leader turned and jumped down from the Highledge to pad over to Thunderstripe.

Sparrowpaw put a paw on Cottonclaw's side. When he looked down at her, she said, "You should volunteer to go fetch the catmint tomorrow."

Cottonclaw twitched an ear. "I was already planning on it."

"Sparrowpaw! Whiskerheart and Springfoot are taking me and Mousepaw outside the camp! Can you come with us?" Bearpaw shouted.

Sparrowpaw looked up at Cottonclaw with bright eyes. "Can we go?"

Cottonclaw laughed. "Let's go, then!"

"Yipee!" Bearpaw crowed as Sparrowpaw raced after him toward the exit of the camp.

"Hey, wait for me!" Mousepaw shouted, taking off after them.

Whiskerheart purred. "Those three are going to be pawfuls." He glanced at Springfoot and Cottonclaw as they padded after their new, anxious apprentices. "Think we can handle them?"

Springfoot's light amber eyes twinkled. "We're ThunderClan warriors! We can handle anything! Even a couple of rambunctious apprentices!"

The three of them chuckled as they followed Bearpaw, Mousepaw, and Sparrowpaw out of the camp and into the forest that was their home.

* * *

"How do you know Ghostlight?" Ghostwind blinked. Ghostlight was the cat he had been named after. His namesake had been born into DarkClan and given nine lives at his birth by StarClan. At the final battle against DarkClan, Ghostlight had sacrified himself to weaken DarkClan's leader, Sly, so that Rowanstar, then Rowanwind, could go in and kill Sly. Killing Sly had been his father's only choice to stop DarkClan from taking over the lake Clans.

"Before we explain, we should introduce ourselves," the older, white tom said. "My name is Goose. And this is Sky, Ghostlight's son."

"What?" Ghostwind's eyes widened. "Ghostlight had a kit?"

Goose chuckled. "More than one, actually."

"My mother was Ghostlight's mate," Sky said. "I have three siblings. None of us have ever met our father. It's clear you knew him. Where is my father? Why hasn't he come back?"

Ghostwind sighed and flattened his ears. "I never knew your father. He...he died seasons before I was born."

Sky's unusually light blue eyes filled with pain. "What happened to him?"

"No, not yet," Goose said hurriedly before Ghostwind could say anything. "Sky, you know your grandmother would want to hear this cat's story. She should hear what happened to her son before she passes from this world."

Sky sighed but nodded. "Come on then, Ghostwind. We'll take you to see Dannie. But be warned. She is very old and nearly on her deathbed."

Ghostwind swallowed past the lump in his throat. He couldn't believe he'd run into cats who knew Ghostlight. And now they were wanting to know what had happened to a cat he had never actually met! There was nothing to it, though. He could at least tell them what had happened to Ghostlight, who they seemed to have loved very much.

The two white toms brought him back to the fork in the path, but they led him down the left path instead of going back the way he'd come. Ghostwind looked around at the sparse trees around them. He could hear a stream bubbling off to their left now. Had Eaglefeather and Swanpool found a river to fish in? Were they at that stream he could hear right now?

Goose and Sky led him into a clearing. It was at a perfect spot in the valley that it would be lit up for most of the day. He could see a couple of hollow logs sitting in the middle of the clearing, as well as a large rock pile beside them. A white cat with a gray and black striped head, back, and legs was sitting on top of one of the logs, washing its ears. As they got closer, Ghostwind realized it was a she-cat.

"Sky! Goose!" the she-cat gasped when she spotted them. "Who's that with you?"

"Spirit, this is Ghostwind," Goose said. "Ghostwind, this is Spirit. Sky's sister."

"Ghostwind?" Spirit gasped again. She jumped nimbly off the log and trotted over to them. Her yellow eyes squinted at Ghostwind.

"He knows what happened to Ghostlight," Sky said to his sister. His blue eyes were guarded as the she-cat turned to look at him in surprise. "I'm sorry, Spirit. This cat says that Ghostlight's dead."

Spirit frowned. "I'll go fetch Mother."

"We're taking him to see Dannie," Goose told her. "Bring everyone. We should all hear what Ghostwind has to say."

Spirit nodded before padding off.

"This way, Ghostwind," Goose said, jerking his tail at the boulder pile.

"Dannie hasn't left her den in moons," Sky whispered to Ghostwind as they walked over to a well-hidden entrance in the rock pile. "She gave up hope a long time ago of ever seeing Ghostlight again."

Goose slipped inside. Sly twitched his tail to let Ghostwind know he should go in next. Taking a deep breath, Ghostwind ducked into the hollow made by the pile of rocks. The floor inside was made of soft dirt, and the walls were surprisingly dry. Toward the back of the den, he saw a dirty nest with a lump of fur curled into the middle of it. Goose was sitting by the lump, sorrow shining in his yellow eyes.

Ghostwind crept closer to the scrap of fur in the nest. It was difficult to tell beneath the grime of an unwashed pelt, but he guessed that this cat used to be a very pretty silver and gray. When Goose meowed, a head lifted. Ghostwind saw the sharp, crystal blue-gray eyes set into a gaunt face. Despite the dreary look of her fur, this cat still had some spunk left in her.

"Ghostlight?" The she-cat's eyes filled with doubt.

Goose shook his head. "No, Dannie. It's me, Goose."

The she-cat grunted and put her head back down. "You haven't visited in moons, Goose. If you've come to annoy me, leave now."

"Dannie," Sky said. Ghostwind jumped. He hadn't noticed the slender tom enter. "We found this tom near the Mooneyes. He says he knows what happened to Ghostlight."

The old she-cat's muzzle lifted again. Ghostwind could see that patches of fur were missing from around her nose. One of her upper teeth had slipped and stuck down over her lower lip. He shivered when the she-cat's blue-gray eyes locked in on him. Her gaze swept over him swiftly.

"Well? Is it true, young'un?" Dannie sneered at him.

Ghostwind took a deep breath. "I didn't know Ghostlight personally, but my father did."

Dannie's eyes softened. "Did?"

"We're coming in!" a loud voice shouted outside, making Ghostwind jump again.

Eight more cats entered the den, one after the other. The first to enter was a large, elderly, tom. After him came a calico she-cat with a younger, smaller calico she-cat. Spirit came in next with two more cats her age, one a she-cat and the other a tom. Behind them came an older, white tom with long fur. The last cat to enter was a middle-aged, white she-cat with a gray-striped head and legs, a black-striped tail, and some of the prettiest blue eyes Ghostwind had ever seen.

"The whole group is here," Dannie meowed once all of them had taken a seat somewhere in the now cramped den. "This must be important."

Ghostwind felt his pelt growing hot as the cats all turned to look at him.

"Let me introduce you to everyone, Ghostwind," Goose said. "You already know Sky and Spirit. Their sister is Dream, and their brother is Miracle." Dream was a white, long-furred young she-cat, and Miracle was a white tom with a ginger and black striped head. "Those three there are my my brothers and sister, Kip, Marty, and Bubble." Kip was a white tom with ginger patches. Marty was the white, long-furred tom, and Bubble was the white, ginger, gray, and black calico she-cat. "And that little pretty one there is Dandelion, Bubble's daughter." Goose twitched his tail at the younger black, ginger, and white calico she-cat. "And last, but not least, this is Banjo, Ghostlight's mate." Goose looked lovingly at the white she-cat with the gray stripes and blue eyes.

"It's nice to meet you all," Ghostwind said, unable to think of anything better to say.

"Is it true? Is Ghostlight dead?" Kip asked roughly.

"Kip," Dannie hissed from her nest. "If your mother were here, she'd have batted you upside the head just now."

Kip looked defiantly at Dannie. "My mother would want to know what happened to Ghostlight just as much as the rest of us."

"But she would have been polite about it," Dannie growled. She turned those blue-gray orbs back on Ghostwind. "Tell us, young'un. Tell us the end of Ghostlight's story."

Ghostwind glanced at all of the cats staring at him so intensely. He realized suddenly that these cats must have been Ghostlight's family. Never in a million seasons would have thought that Ghostlight had actually left behind a family when he'd sacrified himself. He took a deep breath before beginning.

"Do you know about DarkClan?"

Dannie's eyes glistened with tears suddenly. "Yes. They were the death of him, weren't they? He was so determined to end them after I told him of his past."

Ghostwind nodded. "Ghostlight was killed by Sly, the leader of DarkClan. Did you know that StarClan granted Ghostlight nine lives when he was born?"

"Yes," Dannie whispered, putting her head down on her paws. "Deathmask told me."

Ghostwind twitched an ear at the mention of Deathmask. His father had told him about the spirit of Deathmask, the cat who had created DarkClan in the first place so many seasons ago.

"You spoke to Deathmask?"

"Deathmask told me that Ghostlight's destiny was to follow in DarkClan's destructive path," Dannie replied. "I wasn't sure what he meant then, but after I told Ghostlight about his history...it all became clear. A few mornings later, Ghostlight left to pursue the Clan that had killed him at birth. I never saw him again. Deathmask led us to this clearing, where Ghostlight left Banjo before going on after DarkClan again. She was pregnant, and all alone at the time."

Banjo spoke up. "Ghostlight promised he would come back to me. I knew the only thing that could keep him from coming back was death, but I never imagined that would happen. Not...not when he had eight lives left."

"Go on, Ghostwind," Sky urged. "Tell us what happened to my father."

Ghostwind looked down at his paws. "Before I tell you anything else, you should know that Ghostlight was reunited with his DarkClan brother, Switch, before he died. Switch betrayed DarkClan and joined my Clan, ThunderClan. Switch became Duskpaw, and then Dusklight. Today, he is Duskstar, leader of LightClan." He raised his head and looked at each of the cats in the den. "My father, Rowanwind, was born to fulfill a prophecy given to my Clan's medicine cat by StarClan, our ancestors who live in the stars. My father was destined to kill Sly, the leader of DarkClan, and destroy DarkClan forever. He succeeded. But, he would not have if it hadn't been for Ghostlight." He turned now to look at Sky. "_Your_ father...Ghostlight...he sacrified all eight of his lives to weaken Sly so that _my_ father could kill him."

The den was silent as Ghostwind finished his speech. Many of the cats were staring at their paws, agony in their eyes. Sky's eyes were closed, his head bent. But the one cat that caught Ghostwind's attention was Dannie.

The old she-cat was weeping, sticky trails of tears staining her cheeks. Her ears were flat against her skull as she sniffled. Ghostwind looked at her, wishing he could take away her pain.

"She isn't in pain, Ghostwind," an unfamiliar voice said.

Ghostwind turned to see a black tom looking at him. "Who are you?"

A white formed appeared beside the black tom. This time, Ghostwind recognized Ghostlight. The white tom's yellow eyes were filled with such pain and longing that Ghostwind almost couldn't bear it.

"Dannie is happy," Ghostlight said. "She finally knows what happened to me. She knows why I never returned to this valley, even though I promised Banjo that I would. My real mother hated me because of what I was. But Dannie, she was my real mother because she accepted me and my destiny. The color of my pelt didn't matter to her. And now, now she can die in peace."

Ghostwind watched as Ghostlight walked over to Dannie's body. Goose, still the closest to her, was bent over her cooing and trying to calm her down.

"Goose," Ghostwind said. He stood and wound his way through the cats to reach Goose's side. "Ghostlight is here. He's...he's come to take Dannie away."

Sky pushed his way forward. "Ghostlight is here? Where?"

Ghostlight was bending over Dannie now, whispering in her ears. The old she-cat opened her weeping eyes and looked straight at her adopted son.

"Ghostlight," Dannie whispered, her voice hoarse from crying. "You've come back."

"It's time to go, Dannie," Ghostlight said.

"Why can't I see him?" Sky demanded.

Ghostlight turned to Ghostwind. "Tell my son that it is not time for him to meet me yet. He has his own destiny to follow, and when the time is right I will lead him on that path. But now, I must lead Dannie." Ghostlight touched the old she-cat's ear with his nose. "Come now, Mother. It's time for us to go."

Ghostwind heard Dannie's last breath leave her body. His eyes burned with tears when he saw her spirit appear beside Ghostlight. She looked so happy now, and so much younger. Ghostlight nodded once to Ghostwind before he turned and padded up into the ceiling of the den.

"Thank you, Ghostwind," Dannie said, her blue-gray eyes sparkling. "I had hoped, with all my heart, that I would find out what happened to my son before I had to pass on. You gave me what I needed to move on. Thank you."

Ghostwind just nodded to her, his throat too tight to say anything.

Dannie turned away and disappeared up into the ceiling, following her son. Ghostwind looked around and realized that the black tom had gone, as well.

"She's gone," Goose said, his voice thick. "Dannie is gone."

"Is Ghostlight gone, too?" Sky demanded of Ghostwind.

"They are both gone," Ghostwind said softly. "But Ghostlight told me that it wasn't the right time for you to meet him. You have your own destiny to follow, and he will lead you on that path when the time is right."

"Just like Deathmask led Ghostlight," Goose said. "Ghostlight was always going on about the black tom he always saw in his dreams."

Black tom? Ghostwind twitched his ears. That black tom must have been Deathmask then. Even after Ghostlight had died, the old DarkClan creator was still hanging around him.

"Ghostwind, I'm not sure how we can thank you enough," Banjo said. "You have given us the answer to the one question we have all been asking. Ghostlight is not coming back."

"I'm sorry to bring you such bad news," Ghostwind murmured.

Banjo shook her head and stepped forward to touch his cheek with her nose. "You have given us a gift, Ghostwind. We can stop wondering now. And we now know that Ghostlight did not come back because he sacrified himself to stop the Clan that he was meant to stop. Yes, you say that it was your father's destiny to destroy DarkClan. But it was also Ghostlight's."

Ghostwind looked toward the exit. "Speaking of destinies, I should get back to my friends. We're on a mission from StarClan right now. We stopped in this valley to rest for the day before moving on."

Banjo put her tail over his shoulders. "Ghostlight must have led you here to us. Thank you again, Ghostwind. May your ancestors always watch over you."

An idea popped into Ghostwind's head. He looked at Banjo. "Would you be willing to do me and my friends a favor? We have a pregnant queen traveling with us, and it might not be wise to bring her up into the mountains with us. Could she stay here in the valley with you?"

"Of course," Banjo said with a nod. "Goose can go with you and bring her to where we've made our small camp. She is welcome to stay however long she wants."

"Thank you. I guess this is good-bye," Ghostwind said. He waved his tail to the group of cats who were Ghostlight's family. They watched him turn and pad out of the den, Goose beside him. When he reached the exit, he turned back and said, "May Ghostlight watch over you."

Banjo sat down and curled her tail over her paws after Ghostwind had left. _Oh, Ghostwind. I'm sure Ghostlight has been watching over us since the moment he lost his last life_, the she-cat thought. A sad smile pulled at her lips as she turned to look at her kits. Dream, Miracle, and Spirit were trying to calm Sky's anger at not being able to see their father. _I had hoped that you would learn someday that you have four wonderful kits, Ghostlight. And now I know that you do._

**

* * *

End of Chapter Twenty-One**


	24. Chapter 22

**Author's Notes:** Check out my deviantart page for artwork from Warriors Descended and Warriors A New Age! You can find the link on by profile. Also, this chapter marks page 138! Twenty more pages and I'll be at 200! I'm hoping to have it ended by then, but we'll just have to wait and see!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Warriors. However, I do own the characters and plot of this story. Please don't steal them.

* * *

**Chapter 22**

* * *

Cottonclaw paced back and forth beneath the Highledge. His father had gone off with Darkeye and Silvermoon to speak with the other leaders. It seemed like they'd been gone forever, but it really hadn't been very long at all. He sat down to scratch an itch behind his ear just as Sparrowpaw scampered over.

"Springfoot and Whiskerheart are taking Mousepaw and Bearpaw out," Sparrowpaw announced to him.

Cottonclaw flicked an ear. "I'm waiting for Rowanstar to get back. If you want to go out with them, you can."

Sparrowpaw sat down next to him and looked up at him. "You don't have to worry. The other leaders will go along with Stormypelt's idea."

He sighed. "The other leaders aren't giving Rowanstar a hard time, are they?"

The young she-cat looked up at the cloudy sky, her light amber eyes misting over. "No, not really. Crimsonstar was really cautious toward him, but she's desperate. She doesn't want ShadowClan to end up like RiverClan."

"What about Lionstar, Graystar, and Duskstar?"

Sparrowpaw continued to stare upwards. "Lionstar likes the idea very much. He's willing to send his strongest warriors to help. Duskstar was slightly more hesitant, but he agreed." She paused. "Rowanstar is heading into WindClan right now."

Cottonclaw flicked his apprentice's shoulder with his tail. "Then that means he should return pretty soon. How long are Springfoot and Whiskerheart taking your brothers out?"

She turned to look at the camp entrance. "Not long. They said they were going to walk along the WindClan border, so they might meet up with Rowanstar and the others on their way back."

"What are the other apprentices doing?" Cottonclaw wondered curiously.

"Stonepaw and Tawnypaw are cleaning out the nursery," Sparrowpaw replied. "Shimmerpaw took fresh-kill to the elders. Now she's listening to Quickpelt telling a story. Ebonypaw is still asleep. Palefur hasn't gotten up, either." Sparrowpaw's nose wrinkled. "Something is wrong with Palefur. Oh, no! Palefur has whitecough!"

"Are you sure?" Cottonclaw felt his neck fur bristle.

"Of course I'm sure!" Sparrowpaw said. "You go to Palefur! I'll go fetch Maggotstripe!"

Cottonclaw was sure he was the one supposed to be giving the orders, but he listened anyway and headed for the warriors' den. The sun was nearing its highest point in the sky, so most of his Clanmates were out and about in camp or in the forest hunting. He slipped into the warriors' den to see Palefur wasn't alone. Rainfur was curled into her nest toward the middle of the den. Her face was covered by her tail, but he could hear her ragged breaths.

"Palefur. Rainfur. Are you awake?" Cottonclaw called out to the two she-cats.

Palefur lifted her head. Despite the shadiness of the den, Cottonclaw could see the corners of her eyes were glistening with thick, wet tears.

"Oh, good morning Cottonclaw," Palefur said. She looked around. "Did I sleep in on accident?" She suddenly coughed roughly, covering her face with a paw.

The den entrance rustled, and Maggotstripe entered.

"Ah, you're awake," Maggotstripe said when she saw Palefur sitting up. "Was that you coughing just now?"

Palefur's ears twisted back. "Yes."

Maggotstripe went over to the she-cat and examined her. "You've got whitecough, Palefur. We need to get you into my den right away. Cottonclaw, can you clear away her nest? This entire den should be cleared out, actually."

"Maggotstripe, I think something is wrong with Rainfur, too," Cottonclaw said.

Maggotstripe was helping Palefur stand, but she paused and looked back at the gray queen. She twisted her ears forward to listen to Rainfur's wheezing breaths. "I think you're right, Cottonclaw. I saw Forestclaw entering camp just a moment ago. Go and fetch him, please."

Cottonclaw ducked out of the den and looked around for Forestclaw. He spotted the tom near the fresh-kill pile. "Forestclaw! Can you come over here, please? Maggotstripe and I need some help in the warriors' den."

Forestclaw's eyes filled with worry. "What's going on?" he asked as he raced over.

"Palefur and Rainfur are sick," Cottonclaw replied as he entered the den again, Forestclaw right behind him. "We need to get them to Maggotstripe's den and get all the bedding replaced in here."

Cottonclaw helped Palefur stand and wobble out of the warriors' den. Forestclaw went to help Maggotstripe rouse Rainfur. Maggotstripe was having trouble getting the queen to wake up. Cottonclaw hoped the old she-cat wasn't giving up on life because her brother had died. He shook his head and tried to focus on getting Palefur over to the medicine cat's den. The entire way there, Palefur's legs shook. She paused every few tail-lengths to cough into her shoulder. When they finally got into Maggotstripe's den, she slumped into a nest.

"Thank you, Cottonclaw," she wheezed before putting her head down.

He turned away and went back to the warriors' den. Maggotstripe and Forestclaw had finally gotten Rainfur awake and standing. The old warrior was moaning sadly. Cottonclaw could hardly bare to see her in such agony. He stepped aside as Rainfur was led out of the den, then turned and followed them back out.

Sparrowpaw appeared with Stonepaw and Tawnypaw. All three of the apprentices had moss in their jaws, which they dropped outside the entrance of the warriors' den.

"We're going to collect more," Sparrowpaw said. "But I don't know who should clear out the old moss. Should we do that first and then go get more clean moss?"

Stonepaw's dark amber eyes squinted into the shade of the den. "If Palefur and Rainfur are sick, we've already been exposed to the whitecough. We might as well clean out the den."

"I'll help," Cottonclaw said.

"Weren't you waiting for Rowanstar to return?" Sparrowpaw wondered.

"I can help clean out the den while I wait," Cottonclaw said. "Sparrowpaw, you and Tawnypaw continue to collect clean moss. Stonepaw and I can clear out the old moss."

"Okay," Sparrowpaw replied. "Let's go, Tawnypaw!"

The two, young she-cats scampered away.

"Let's get to work," Stonepaw said, slipping into the den.

Cottonclaw followed in after him, admiring the young tom. His father, Silvermoon, wasn't much of a talker, and Stonepaw certainly took after him.

The two of them began to clear away the moss. They would push nests together into large piles before rolling them out of the den. Cottonclaw made sure the dirty moss was kept away from the clean moss that Sparrowpaw and Tawnypaw brought in from outside the camp. Whenever the two she-cats came in to drop off new moss, they would grab some of the old to take it out and discard it.

"Cottonclaw?" Stonepaw said, without much warning.

Cottonclaw looked up from the pile he was pushing toward the exit. "What is it, Stonepaw?"

"Is it okay to like Sparrowpaw...and her brothers? Even though they aren't ThunderClan cats?" Stonepaw's dark amber eyes were full of confusion.

"Of course," Cottonclaw said. "Just because they weren't born into ThunderClan doesn't mean they aren't ThunderClan. My mother was a kittypet once, but now she's a loyal ThunderClan cat. She's done a lot for us."

Stonepaw looked down at his paws. "I'm sorry I brought it up. It's just...I like Sparrowpaw and her brothers. I was worried I would get in trouble. Most of the warriors seem to ignore them."

Cottonclaw flicked his tail at the apprentice. "Your mother doesn't ignore them. I think she would be very happy to know that you like Sparrowpaw and her brothers. Look, we're nearly done. We should finish up."

"Okay," Stonepaw said, immediately beginning to push his pile of moss toward the exit.

Cottonclaw went back to pushing his moss pile, deep in thought. Stonepaw seemed genuinely confused about how he should feel about Sparrowpaw, Bearpaw, and Mousepaw. Did some of his other Clanmates feel just as confused? It was pretty strange for StarClan to send them three random kits, along with what seemed to be a pretty important prophecy.

"Rowanstar is back!" someone shouted from outside.

"Let's go, Stonepaw," Cottonclaw said, abandoning the moss pile.

The two of them dashed out of the warriors den in time to see Rowanstar padding back into camp with Darkeye and Silvermoon behind him. Thunderstripe padded toward the leader from over by the fresh-kill pile.

"Let's go to my den," Rowanstar said to Thunderstripe. "Darkeye, Silvermoon, you can come with me. Where's Maggotstripe?"

"She's in her den. Palefur and Rainfur have come down with whitecough," Thunderstripe reported. "The warriors' den is being cleaned out right now."

Rowanstar's yellow eyes closed. "I feared that this would happen. Maggotstripe can tend to them. We can talk without her." He led the three other toms through the camp, up past Highledge, and into his den.

"Do you think the other leaders agreed to Stormypelt's idea?" Stonepaw wondered aloud.

Cottonclaw wasn't sure how much he should give away of what Sparrowpaw had told him earlier. So he just said, "I'm sure everything will turn out fine."

"Should we finish cleaning out the den?" Stonepaw glanced back.

"Might as well. Rowanstar is probably discussing with Thunderstripe what to do next," Cottonclaw said.

Sparrowpaw and Tawnypaw came back then with more moss.

"Rowanstar is back," Sparrowpaw said after she'd dropped her wad of moss.

"Yes. He's up in his den talking with Thunderstripe," Cottonclaw said, though he had a feeling his apprentice already knew that. He turned back to Stonepaw. "Let's go finish the warriors' den."

Cottonclaw and Stonepaw finished cleaning the rest of the soiled moss from the warriors' den. Once all of it was gone, Cottonclaw told the three apprentices to finish up by putting in the clean moss. He padded away to search for Meadowbreeze. He was getting too tense about the greencough epidemic. Maybe talking with her would help him calm down.

He found her lying beside the fresh-kill pile with Smudgewing. The two she-cats were talking quietly to one another, both of them looking very worried.

"Cottonclaw," Meadowbreeze said when she saw him. "How are Palefur and Rainfur?"

He shrugged. "Maggotstripe is taking care of them. I've been working to help clean out the warriors' den."

"I hope no one else gets sick. It would be horrible if we lost any of our Clanmates," Meadowbreeze whispered.

"Poppyflower is the weakest cat in the Clan," Smudgewing added. "It would be tragic to lose her to greencough."

"RiverClan has already gone through losing elders," Cottonclaw reminded the two. "The sickness has probably spread to WindClan, as well."

"Poor RiverClan," Meadowbreeze sighed. "At least they have a stronger leader now, after Featherstar died."

"Lionstar seems like he'll make a good leader," Smudgewing commented.

Cottonclaw nodded in agreement.

"Oh. It looks like Rowanstar is ready to speak," Meadowbreeze said.

Cottonclaw turned around to see Darkeye and Silvermoon jumping down to the camp floor. Above, Rowanstar and Thunderstripe were seating themselves on the Highledge. A few moments later, his father called out the customary line for a meeting.

Many cats had returned shortly after Rowanstar had come back. Everyone was eager to hear what their leader had to say about his trip around the lake. Rowanstar waited for everyone to settle down before he spoke.

"I talked to all of the other leaders," Rowanstar started. "I proposed that they each send two warriors to fetch catmint in the Twolegplace. They have all agreed. Tomorrow at sunhigh, the warriors will meet at the log that leads to the island. Together, they will go to the Twolegplace to fetch catmint.

"Now, I need two volunteers. Who wants to go and fetch catmint? Mind you, I want you to respect the other cats you will be traveling with. Even if they are from other Clans."

"I'll go!" Cottonclaw shouted.

Rowanstar nodded. "Very well. Who else?"

"May I go?" Stormypelt asked.

"Stormypelt, you're pregnant with my kits," Rowanstar replied softly. "I don't want you in any danger."

"It was worth a try," Stormypelt said with a shrug.

"Does anyone else want to volunteer?" Rowanstar looked around at all of the cats gathered.

"I volunteer," a voice said from the edge of the crowd.

Heads turned to look at Sootpelt, who kept his yellow eyes on Rowanstar. Cottonclaw knew that Sootpelt was not the most liked cat in ThunderClan. His father, Icefur, had betrayed their Clan and attempted to join DarkClan. Cottonclaw also knew that Sootpelt and his sister, Nimbleclaw, were not on good terms either. So why was he volunteering to go?

Rowanstar seemed to know because he gave Sootpelt a sympathetic look. "Good. Cottonclaw, Sootpelt. I want the two of you to rest as much as you can for the rest of the day. You'll have a long day ahead of you tomorrow."

"Yes, Rowanstar," Sootpelt replied.

Cottonclaw nodded.

"Thunderstripe told me that Palefur and Rainfur have come down with whitecough. Hopefully we will get more than enough catmint from the Twolegplace for them and anyone else who gets sick. Maggotstripe will be busy with the sick cats, so try to be careful out there everyone. And limit the time you spend with the sick cats. I know it's difficult, but the less cats exposed to the sickness, the less sick there will be. That is all." Rowanstar turned away from the crowd to leap down from the Highledge, Thunderstripe right behind him.

Cottonclaw turned to Meadowbreeze. "I can't wait to get to Twolegplace and get back."

"I can't wait, either," she responded. "The faster we get the catmint, the faster we can heal Palefur and Rainfur."

"And the faster we heal them, the sooner the sickness will be gone from ThunderClan," Smudgewing added.

"It will be nice when greenleaf gets here. It won't be so cold, and prey will be plentiful. And there will be less chance of sickness..." Meadowbreeze said something else, but Cottonclaw was distracted by Pebbletail's shout.

"Has anyone seen Pureheart?"

Cottonclaw turned around. Skunkpelt and Cloverpelt, who were sitting next to Pebbletail, was shaking their heads. Pureheart had been out in the camp even before him this morning, and he'd woken up early to see Rowanstar off. After that, he couldn't remember where the tom had gone. Was that the last time anyone had seen him?

"What's the matter, Pebbletail?" Forestclaw asked his sister.

"What's going on?" Meadowbreeze said behind Cottonclaw.

"It sounds like Pureheart is missing," Smudgewing whispered.

"I haven't seen him since last night," Pebbletail mewed worriedly. "He was already up and out of the camp by the time I woke up. I thought he'd be back by the time Rowanstar returned, but I still don't see him anywhere."

"I saw him leaving camp early this morning," Stormtail called out.

Forestclaw flicked an ear. "And he hasn't come back?"

"Not that I've noticed," Stormtail replied.

"We need to send out a patrol to find him!" Skunkpelt said.

"Calm down, Skunkpelt. Maybe he's just out on a long hunting patrol," Cloverpelt said, though she looked unconvinced by her own statement.

Forestclaw was shaking his head. "No. He would have said something if he was. Something must be wrong."

Pebbletail's eyes widened. "You don't think he's hurt, do you? Maybe a badger found him, and he's lying out in the forest, bleeding to death!"

Forestclaw cringed at his sister's paranoia. "It's okay, Pebbletail. We'll find him. You should stay here, though. You're in too much of a frenzy to be any good at tracking him down. Okay? I'll go get Rowanstar."

Cottonclaw felt a paw prod him in his side. He looked down at Sparrowpaw. Her light amber eyes were full of worry.

"What's wrong, Sparrowpaw?"

She looked over at Pebbletail and Cloverpelt, who had her tail over the other she-cat's shoulders. "Pureheart is stuck out in the forest. He can't get back because he's too weak to move. He has whitecough. He thought he was coming down with just a little cold when he went out this morning."

A sudden thought came into his head. Sparrowpaw would know where to find Pureheart! He couldn't believe he hadn't thought to ask her for help the moment it was discovered that Pureheart was missing.

"Where is he, Sparrowpaw?" Cottonclaw asked his apprentice.

"Beneath the big oak tree near the lake," Sparrowpaw replied, her eyes misted over. "He's curled up in the roots."

Cottonclaw nodded to her and raced over to Forestclaw, who was leading Rowanstar and Thunderstripe over to Pebbletail. "I know where Pureheart is, Rowanstar!"

Rowanstar flicked his ears. "Sparrowpaw told you?"

He nodded quickly. "Pureheart has whitecough. That's why he hasn't come back. He's too weak to move on his own. He's curled up in the roots of the Sky Oak."

"Forestclaw, go fetch Maggotstripe. Tell her what's going on and that she needs to go the camp entrance," Rowanstar said. "Cottonclaw, please go thank Sparrowpaw for her help." He turned and padded away. "Stormtail! Shadeclaw! You're going with Thunderstripe to bring Pureheart back to camp! Wait for Maggotstripe near the entrance!"

Cottonclaw walked back to where Meadowbreeze and Smudgewing were sitting with Sparrowpaw. All three of them were looking at him with worry in their eyes. He sighed. When would this madness end?

"Rowanstar thanks you, Sparrowpaw," he told his apprentice. He sat down next to her and put his tail over her shoulders. "It would have taken them a long time to find him."

Sparrowpaw nodded solemnly. "I just wish there was more I could do to help."

Smudgewing stepped up to the other side of the young she-cat. "What if there is?"

Cottonclaw looked at his brother's mate curiously. "What are you getting at, Smudgewing? Sparrowpaw is just an apprentice. She can't do everything."

Smudgewing sat down. "She certainly seems to _know_ about everything. Have you checked to see if she knows how to use herbs for healing?"

Sparrowpaw's eyes gleamed. "Yes! I know everything because Maggotstripe knows everything. You think that I can help Maggotstripe while Ravenheart is away!"

Smudgewing's green eyes sparkled. "Exactly. Maggotstripe will need all the help she can get, especially if more cats get sick or injured."

Cottonclaw slipped his tail from Sparrowpaw's shoulders. "But Sparrowpaw is a warrior apprentice, not a medicine cat apprentice."

"That's true, Smudgewing," Meadowbreeze said. "Cottonclaw has to start teaching her how to hunt and fight. How can he do that if Sparrowpaw is constantly helping Maggotstripe?"

Smudgewing looked at Sparrowpaw. "What do you want to do, Sparrowpaw?"

The young she-cat's eyes widened. She looked at Cottonclaw, then back at Smudgewing. "I don't know! I want to help more, but I've only just become an apprentice! I don't know how to hunt or fight! But I know that I know herbs..." She stood up and took a few steps forward, looking down at her paws.

_She does know herbs_, Cottonclaw thought. _She knows everything about herbs because of Maggotstripe's knowledge of herbs. Hmm. Does that mean...?_

Without a word, Cottonclaw darted a paw forward and tripped Sparrowpaw before she could take another step. She landed on her stomach.

"Cottonclaw! What was that for?" Meadowbreeze yelped.

Sparrowpaw stood up again and shook herself. She turned around, curiosity in her eyes. Without giving her a chance to recover, Cottonclaw lunged forward and slapped a paw on his apprentice's head, his claws sheathed. Sparrowpaw reeled backwards, dizzy from the sudden blow he'd connected with her head.

"Cottonclaw! Have you gone insane?" Meadowbreeze gasped.

Cottonclaw didn't reply. He feinted right and swung his paw to the left. Miraculously, Sparrowpaw blocked the blow with a swing of her own paw. Cottonclaw dodged to the right, circled around his apprentice, and grabbed her scruff with his teeth. She automatically went limp, and he dropped her back to her paws. Cottonclaw grunted when her back feet suddenly collided with his chest, forcing him backwards. He kept his paws beneath him and swiped at her flank. Sparrowpaw spun around and lashed a sheathed paw at his face. He dodged the blow, feinted right, and swung his left paw at her. Sparrowpaw ducked. His paw sailed over her head, and he stumbled from the sudden shift of balance. Quick as lightning, Sparrowpaw darted to his left side and jumped up onto his back. He felt her teeth in his scruff and her paws digging into his sides.

"Stop! What is the meaning of this?"

Cottonclaw went limp, and Sparrowpaw slid from his back. He turned to see Rowanstar running toward them, his yellow eyes full of fury.

"Why are you and Sparrowpaw fighting in camp? If you want to practice fighting, you should take her out into the forest!" Rowanstar said. "And don't make it look so much like a real fight next time, Cottonclaw! We have enough going on without everyone thinking there's fighting going on amongst our Clanmates."

" I'm sorry, Rowanstar. I was trying to prove something," Cottonclaw said. "It turns out that I was right."

Rowanstar squinted. "And what were you trying to prove by fighting your apprentice so viciously?"

"Sparrowpaw already knows how to fight," Cottonclaw said. He licked a patch of fur sticking up on his shoulder. "I haven't taught her anything about fighting, and you saw the way she handled herself."

Rowanstar turned to Sparrowpaw. "Is that true?"

Sparrowpaw, her eyes wide, nodded.

ThunderClan's leader sighed. "Next time you're trying to prove a point, Cottonclaw, don't do it in camp." With a shake of his head, Rowanstar walked away.

Meadowbreeze smacked Cottonclaw in the face with her tail as soon as Rowanstar's back was turned. "You mouse-brain! You had Smudgewing and me in a frenzy! I thought you'd gone completely insane!"

"I'm sorry. I just had to see if I was right," Cottonclaw said. He turned to Sparrowpaw. "I'm sorry about that. I just wanted you to see that you did know how to fight. And I'm pretty certain you know how to hunt, as well. I have a theory that you know everything because you somehow receive knowledge about things through other cats."

"What do you mean, Cottonclaw?" Smudgewing blinked.

"Let me use an example," Cottonclaw said. "Sparrowpaw knew that Hedgeblossom came down with whitecough, but she has never met Hedgeblossom. She didn't know Hedgeblossom even existed. But because I have the knowledge that Hedgeblossom exists, Sparrowpaw knows who Hedgeblossom is. And since Sparrowpaw knows Hedgeblossom, she can take knowledge from Hedgeblossom. That's how she found out Hedgeblossom was sick."

"In a strange way, that makes sense," Smudgewing said. "Sparrowpaw takes bits of knowledge from other cats."

"Exactly," Cottonclaw nodded.

"So does that mean I can help Maggotstripe?" Sparrowpaw looked at Cottonclaw.

"Let's make a deal," Cottonclaw said. "You have to ask Rowanstar and Maggotstripe if you can help her. If they both agree, then you can. But you will also need to keep up with your other apprentice duties, as well. Let's say you switch days. One day you'll help Maggotstripe, the next day you'll work with me, and so on."

"That sounds perfect," Meadowbreeze said.

Sparrowpaw's eyes shown bright. "I love that idea! I really hope Maggotstripe says yes! I want to do all I can to help ThunderClan out!"

"Then lets go ask Rowanstar and Maggotstripe what they think," Cottonclaw said. _Dear StarClan! You certainly have outdone yourself by sending us such a spirited young cat. I don't know what we'd do without her_, he thought to himself as he led Sparrowpaw to find Rowanstar.

* * *

**End of Chapter Twenty-Two**

* * *

**Author's Notes:** Just a quick note! I love Sparrowpaw! She is one of my all-time favorite characters from my series. I love her personality, and she is just so much fun to write. I hope you all enjoy her as much as I do!


	25. Chapter 23

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Warriors, but I do own the characters of this story.

* * *

Chapter 23

* * *

"Ghostwind! There you are! Where have you..." Ashflower stopped running toward Ghostwind when she saw Goose walking beside him. "Who is that?"

The others were all staring at Goose suspiciously. Ghostwind sighed. Would they believe him when they told them that Goose knew Ghostlight? Ashflower gasped, and he knew she'd been listening to his thoughts.

"This is Goose. He lives here in the valley with his family," Ghostwind explained. "He used to know Ghostlight."

Fernstripe padded forward. "Did you tell him what happened to Ghostlight?"

"Yes. He told my family and me everything," Goose said. "And we're all very grateful to him. We've been wondering for many seasons what happened to Ghostlight."

"Ghostlight had a mate and kits," Ghostwind added. "They live here in the valley, too."

Fernstripe's eyes widened. "Really? Did you tell them about my father?"

"They know about Duskstar. I didn't mention you, though," Ghostwind replied. He'd been so focused on telling Ghostlight's family about what happened to him that he hadn't thought to explain that Ghostlight had a niece. "I'm sorry."

Fernstripe nodded to Goose. "My name is Fernstripe. I'm the daughter of Duskstar, Ghostlight's brother. My father spoke very highly of Ghostlight. I wish that I'd gotten to know him. Was he really as great as my father says he was?"

Goose's yellow eyes brightened. "Yes. Ghostlight was my best friend. We grew up together. I've never met another cat who was more willing to help others, despite any risk to themselves. Ghostlight was a really special cat. I knew that from a very young age. Tell me, how is his brother? We always worried about what would happen if the two met."

"My father betrayed DarkClan and helped to stop their destruction. Duskstar is leader of LightClan now," Fernstripe said. "It's full of members from the old DarkClan, but they have all changed their ways. We live near a lake where four other Clans live. These cats are from those other Clans."

Goose nodded. "Ghostwind said that you all were on a mission into the mountains."

"That reminds me!" Ghostwind said. He looked at the others. "I found the eyes of terror! They're these two huge boulders in the valley here. Goose said they're also called the Mooneyes."

"Mooneyes..." Ravenheart whispered. The medicine cat apprentice suddenly gasped. "Oh, my goodness! I know why we're heading into the mountains! StarClan sent me a dream, but I'd forgotten all about it until just now!"

"What is it, Ravenheart?" Ashflower asked.

"Have you heard the stories about how the Tribe of Rushing Water was nearly forced from their territory by a bunch of rogues? Back when Firestar was leader of ThunderClan?" Ravenheart asked the others. They all nodded. "It's happening again. A bunch of cats from another Tribe were forced out of their territory. They've been traveling for moons, looking for somewhere to stay. They discovered the Tribe of Rushing Water, and they've been trying to take their territory."

"That's horrible!" Fernstripe said.

"Yet this is what we expected, wasn't it? _One friend from old, one who is quite bold. Two groups at war. The bold are looking for more. Know that conflict is not the answer. Find the eyes of terror and know that all is secure._ We were expecting there to be fighting," Eaglefeather said.

"We found the eyes of terror," Tigerflame said speculatively. "So does that mean everything is fine? Do we really have to go up into the mountains?"

Ghostwind looked over his shoulder at the next few peaks that they would have to climb if they were to go and find the Tribe of Rushing Water. "It's a daunting task. But I know we could do it. What if the Tribe really needs us? I can't imagine they enjoy fighting over their territory."

"I could go up into the mountains," Goose said. "You look like you've been traveling for a long time. I'm sure you all want to go home. If you'd like, I could go up into the mountains. If there's a Tribe of cats looking for a home, they can come here to the valley. There's plenty of room."

"Goose, you'd be doing us a huge favor," Ghostwind said. "But we can't just stop and turn around now. Not after everything we've already been through."

"That's why it's already been taken care of," a familiar voice said.

Ghostwind and the others jumped. They turned around to see a white tom sitting on a small boulder nearby. It was Ghostlight. His white pelt was twinkling with starlight.

"Ghostlight!" Goose gasped.

"You can see him?" Ghostwind whispered.

"Goose deserves to see his best friend one last time," Ghostlight spoke. "Say hello to Banjo and my kits for me, dear friend."

"Of course, Ghostlight!" Goose nodded solemnly.

"Ghostwind," Ghostlight said. Ghostwind looked at the StarClan cat worriedly. "You have done what I hoped you would. You found the Mooneyes, the eyes of terror, and told my family the reason I never returned. The prophecy brought you here so you can help Goose and the rest of my family accept the Tribe that is looking for a home. I visited the Tribe's leader last night in her dreams, and she and her Tribemates will be here tomorrow morning. You won't have to travel into the mountains, and you'll be able to return home in just a few days."

"Why would you string us along like that?" Tigerflame demanded of the sparkling cat. "It's bad enough we had to help SkyClan get back together! We could have been home much sooner without you interfering and bringing us here!"

"Tigerflame," Ghostlight said. "Imagine being a member of my family. I left them and never returned. Ghostwind gave them what they needed. Closure. All I ask now is that you help the Tribe settle into this lush, green valley. And then you can go home."

Tigerflame grumbled under his breath, but he didn't argue anymore.

Ghostlight turned back to Ghostwind. "Good luck. You're going to need it in the blood-filled future I see for you." With that, the strange cat disappeared.

Ghostwind felt his veins freeze over. Why had Ghostlight needed to remind him of the possible war looming over them?

_I don't think it's a possibility anymore, Ghostwind. I think the war is a certainty_, Ashflower said in his head.

That's what Ghostwind was afraid of.

* * *

Cottonclaw shredded bits of dry grass with his claws. He was sitting with Sootpelt in front of the log that led to the island where they held Gatherings. Somehow, he and Sootpelt were the first cats here. Nobody else had showed up, and the morning sun was rising higher and higher. If the other cats didn't show up, should he and Sootpelt head to Twolegplace regardless or just head back home?

"I smell LightClan," Sootpelt said.

Cottonclaw perked his ears up and inhaled through his mouth. The blue-gray tom was right. He could smell fresh LightClan scents. Plus, he recognized the scents.

"Cottonclaw!" a familiar voice said.

"Hello, Reekfur," Cottonclaw replied as the black tom came trotting up. Beside him, his sister, Boomflower, was looking sleepy.

"Hello, Boomflower," Cottonclaw added.

"Morning," Boomflower said with a wide yawn.

Reekfur chuckled. "Excuse her. She's not very fond of mornings. Where's everyone else? They haven't left without us, have they?"

"Nobody else has showed up," Cottonclaw shrugged.

"Well, I wouldn't be saying that!" Brownclaw said as he came walking up with Smokefrost by his side. "We're here now, aren't we?"

"Brownclaw! Smokefrost!" Cottonclaw shouldn't have been surprised to see them. His uncles were both former kittypets. Graystar was smart for sending them; they would know the best places to get fresh catmint.

"It's nice to see you, too," Smokefrost laughed.

"What will be really nice is when we're done with this and back home where we should be!" a rough voice said. Two ShadowClan cats stepped out from behind a holly bush. Pineroot was the one who had spoken. Beside him was Dwarfshadow, a tom around Rowanstar's age. Cottonclaw was glad to see Dwarfshadow; he was one of the nicer ShadowClan toms.

"Hello to you, too, Pips," Brownclaw said. "Oops, I mean Pineroot."

Pineroot smirked, and Boomflower giggled.

"Your kittypet name was Pips?" Boomflower giggled some more.

"I'm not a kittypet anymore," Pineroot snorted.

"It's a good thing you used to be, though," Reekfur said, trying to lessen the humiliation from his sister's giggling. "We can use cats who know Twolegplace."

Pineroot ignored him. "Looks like all that's left is RiverClan. I'll be surprised if any of them show up, though. The mouse-brains let the sickness spread so much in their Clan."

Smokefrost glared at the kittypet turned ShadowClan cat. "You know, _Pineroot_, I used to like you a lot more when you were known as Pips."

"Like I care," Pineroot replied.

"You don't care much about anything anymore, Pineroot," Willowsky said as she and Ashwhisker came walking up. "Not since my sister chose Rowanstar over you."

Pineroot's neck fur bristled. "That's ancient history now, Willowsky. I don't even know why you bring it up anymore."

Cottonclaw twitched his tail. Obviously, it _was_ ancient history. He'd had no idea that Pineroot had liked his mother once. That explained why Pineroot had never seemed to really like him or his siblings.

"I'll stop bringing it up when you've gotten over your grudge against Rowanstar," Willowsky replied. She turned to look at everyone else. "Let's go. The faster we get there, the faster we can get back with the catmint my Clan needs."

"Your Clan isn't the only one that needs it," Pineroot snapped. "It's because you didn't ask for help sooner that ShadowClan now has greencough!"

"Believe me, I'm sorry about that," Willowsky said, her voice suddenly rough. "But it's no use complaining about it when you can _do_ something about it."

"Willowsky, are you okay?" Cottonclaw asked his aunt as the group of cats started heading for the Twolegplace in the distance.

Willowsky's blue eyes flashed. "I'm fine, Cottonclaw. You don't have to worry about me." She flicked her tail and trotted faster to catch up with Brownclaw and Smokefrost.

Ashwhisker took her place beside him. He glanced over at Pineroot and Dwarfshadow, who were walking a few tail-lengths to the left of the rest of the group. "Don't tell anyone else, Cottonclaw, but Willowsky had greencough. She didn't get it as bad as usual. She was really sick for about two days, but then her symptoms went away. Her voice is raspy from the cough she had afterward."

Cottonclaw flattened his ears. "No wonder she's so defensive."

Ashwhisker sighed. "We're in pretty bad shape. RiverClan really needs this catmint. Willowsky and I are supposed to collect as much as we can carry." Ashwhisker flicked his whiskers. "Can you keep a secret?"

"Of course."

"After Willowsky and I get back, Lionstorm is sending another patrol into Twolegplace to fetch more catmint," Ashwhisker admitted.

"You need that much catmint?" Cottonclaw whispered.

Ashwhisker nodded. "We'll lose too many of our cats if we don't. My mate, Peachfur, is sick. She's due to have our kits soon. She has to be healthy, or she and the kits won't survive."

"I'm sorry, Ashwhisker. I wish there was more that could be done for your Clan," Cottonclaw said.

"All you can do is pray to StarClan for us," Ashwhisker said softly. "Other than hunting and patrolling, all I've been doing is praying."

"I'll do that," Cottonclaw nodded to the gray tom.

"Thank you, Cottonclaw. You are a good friend," Ashwhisker said.

The two toms noticed that the group had reached the Thunderpath. It was time to focus on their mission: get catmint and get back home. Cottonclaw just hoped the other Clans wouldn't be angry if they discovered that RiverClan was making two trips to Twolegplace, rather than just this one. He sent up a prayer to StarClan that RiverClan got all of the catmint they needed to survive. Otherwise, they might go from five Clans to just four...

* * *

A blast of cold air made Ghostwind shiver. He blinked open his eyes to see the sun just peeking over the horizon, way in the distance. Its rays began to touch the valley, lighting everything in a beautiful, yellow glow. Orange and pink clouds drifted across the horizon line. It was one of the most beautiful scenes he'd ever seen in his entire life.

"Today's the day."

He turned his head to look at Ashflower, who was awake and looking at the sun rising, too. She turned her head to look at him.

"I can just feel it. We're going to be heading home today," she went on. "The Tribe that's looking for a home will come here, we'll help introduce them to Goose and his family, and then we can go home. Back to the lake."

"Back to healing injuries," Ravenheart said.

"Back to swimming!" Eaglefeather purred, his rearend rising as he stretched.

"And hunting," Tigerflame grumbled.

"And patrolling," Russetfrost laughed.

"Back to our families," Moonmist sighed.

"Back to sleeping in _dens_!" Ghostwind finally added, making the others laugh.

"It's obvious you all want to get back home very bad," Banjo said from where she was lying, curled up in the middle of her kits.

"We've been gone for longer than a whole moon," Fernstripe said.

"That's such a long time!" Goose said, sitting up. "I can't imagine doing that."

"It's been tough," Ashflower said. "We had a lot of close calls. But we haven't lost anybody, and we did what we came to do. We aren't finished yet, but I know everything will go smoothly with this Tribe we're supposed to help."

"When do you think they'll show up?" Ghostwind wondered aloud.

"No idea. So we're just going to have to wait," Eaglefeather said. "What should we do in the meantime?"

"I could go for some more fish," Swanpool said.

"Rats are better," Tigerflame stated.

"Oh, no! Fish are definitely the best!" Swanpool retorted.

"You're all wrong!" Moonmist laughed. "_Rabbits_ are the best!"

Ghostwind laughed as the three went back and forth, squabbling over what prey was the best. He felt a sudden pang of guilt when he realized that he was going to miss this. When they returned to the lakes, they'd all go back to their separate Clans. Fernstripe would go back to LightClan and Reekfur, the mate Eaglefeather felt threatened by. Eaglefather and Swanpool were heading back to a Clan that might still be riddled with sickness. Tigerflame and Moonmist would be on opposite sides of the lake once more. And Ghostwind would be back in ThunderClan, he and Ashflower reunited with Cottonclaw.

_It's okay, Ghostwind. We're all going to miss this_, Ashflower's voice whispered in his head. _But it's not something we can change. Unless we decided to stay here, in this valley, with Goose, his family, and the Tribe we've come to help._

Ghostwind's heart clenched again. For a split moment, he wondered if the others would be up to that. But then he thought about everyone he'd left behind in ThunderClan. Smudgewing and Cottonclaw were waiting for him. His parents were probably worried sick, and his mother was supposed to be having kits soon. The others all had family, friends, and mates back in their Clans. They couldn't stay here, no matter how much they wanted to.

Ashflower was right. Losing the friendships they'd created on this journey was something that couldn't be helped. They'd see each other at Gatherings, but it would never be like this again.

Never.

* * *

Cottonclaw knawed another stalk off the catmint plant he and Sootpelt were gathering from. The other Clan cats had gone off somewhere in the maze of Twolegplace, looking for other fresh catmint plants to gather from. They'd agreed to meet back up at a designated safe spot once they'd all finished.

"Sootpelt, remember not to eat any," Cottonclaw said.

"I know, Cottonclaw," Sootpelt replied around another stalk. "My mother needs this catmint more than I do. Even if it does smell so good."

Cottonclaw realized then why Sootpelt had volunteered to come on this trip. Why hadn't he seen it before? Rainfur was sick, and Sootpelt was her son. That explained everything.

They worked tirelessly, knawing off an many stalks of catmint as they could manage. Finally, the two of them bent to grab the stalks and head off to the safe spot to wait. They walked side-by-side, slipping under fences and pushing through bushes. Cottonclaw had never seen Sootpelt so determined as he was now.

The two of them reached the safe spot. Willowsky and Ashwhisker were already there waiting for them. Their piles of catmint were huge. Cottonclaw couldn't believe the two cats could carry so much. Then he realized that there were large leaves under the piles. That explained how they could carry so much!

"That's so much catmint!" Sootpelt said after he'd dropped his.

"Blossomfur told us we should find the largest leaves we could and bring the catmint back wrapped in them," Willowsky explained. "That way we could carry more."

"Pineroot probably won't be very happy to see that you used a medicine cat trick without cluing the rest of us in about it," Cottonclaw commented.

"Pineroot can go shove a rat down his throat," Willowsky grumbled. "That tom has been hanging around ShadowClan cats for too long. He would have been better off in WindClan with friendlier cats. Or maybe ThunderClan. He probably regrets not asking to be in ThunderClan. He'd have had a better chance with your mother then."

Cottonclaw flattened his ears.

Willowsky sighed. "I'm sorry. It's just that I find it difficult to deal with the way Pineroot acts. He really needs to get over his grudge. There are some very lovely she-cats in ShadowClan that would be lucky to be his mate."

"I understand how you feel, Willowsky," Sootpelt said, lying down and tucking his paws up underneath him. "It's not healthy to hold a grudge. For any amount of time."

Willowsky nodded to him. "I take it Nimbleclaw is still blaming you?"

Sootpelt averted his eyes. "Let's just say she and I haven't had a civil conversation since we were first apprenticed."

"That's terrible, Sootpelt," Ashwhisker said. "Wasn't there nothing you could do to stop Webpelt from dying?"

Cottonclaw blinked and looked at Sootpelt.

"No. I couldn't stop her death," Sootpelt whispered. "But Nimbleclaw doesn't understand that. She continues to blame me."

Cottonclaw was learning a lot about Sootpelt today. He'd heard the name Webpelt when he was a kit. She'd been one of the cats who'd died in the war against DarkClan. But how she was related to Sootpelt and Nimbleclaw, he wasn't sure.

"I've heard Webpelt's name mentioned in the elders' stories of the war against DarkClan," Cottonclaw said. "They never said anything much about her, other than she died."

Sootpelt put his chin on the ground. "That's because Webpelt was still an apprentice when she died. She, Nimbleclaw, and I were very close to our warrior ceremony. Clawstar gave her a warrior name moments before she passed on."

"She was your sister?" Cottonclaw couldn't imagine how that must feel. If he lost Ashflower, he would feel like his life was over.

"Yes. I was standing next to her when she was fatally wounded. Nimbleclaw blamed me for her death because I didn't do more to stop it," Sootpelt murmured.

That explained why Nimbleclaw was always glaring at her brother. It also explained why many of the other cats never spoke much to him. Everyone who'd been in the war put some blame on Sootpelt for letting Webpelt die.

Cottonclaw sighed and sat down. "I'm sorry, Sootpelt."

"You have nothing to be sorry for," Sootpelt said, his eyes closed. "You aren't the one who is holding a grudge against me for something that I had no control over."

But that didn't mean Cottonclaw couldn't feel sorry for the poor tom. Not knowing what else to say, Cottonclaw spread out on his stomach to wait for the others to return.

* * *

Ghostwind and Ashflower were lying on a boulder in the sunlight when the Tribe showed up. The others were around, eating or enjoying the sunlight. Ashflower was the first to raise her head. Ghostwind opened his eyes when he heard her move.

"They're here," she said. "I can hear their thoughts. They're very tired. Many of the cats think their leader has gone crazy, chasing her dreams. The leader just spotted us."

Ghostwind sat up and looked around. "Where are they?"

"Directly across the clearing from us," Ashflower said, sitting up as well.

Eaglefeather, Moonmist, Fernstripe, and Tigerflame walked over to the boulder they were lying on.

"Should we invite them over here?" Eaglefeather asked.

Ashflower looked over into the trees. "It's okay! You can come out! We aren't going to hurt you. We knew you were coming. The white cat told us."

Ghostwind turned to look in the direction Ashflower was facing. A group of cats appeared from the shadows of the trees. There were about twenty of them. Leading the rest was a long-furred, white cat with brown and ginger patches on its back and tail. Three of the cats looked to be apprentice size, and three were small enough to be carried. The rest were all obviously of warrior or queen status.

"Hello, cats of the valley," the long-furred she-cat at the head of the group said. She stopped about five tail-lengths away. Her Tribe sat down behind her. "My name is Leaves that Dapple her Soul. You may call me Souldapple. I am the healer of this Tribe. We were once known as the Mushroom Tribe, for the forest we lived in was overrun with mushrooms. We were forced from our home by Twoleg monsters, and our Tribe no longer has a name."

"Hello, Souldapple," Ghostwind replied. "My name is Ghostwind. I am a visitor here to the valley. My friends and I were sent here by our ancestors to aide you in finding a new home."

Souldapple bowed her head to him. "The white cat you spoke of. He told you we were coming? I saw him in my dreams. He said that we must stop fighting the Tribe of Rushing Water because there was a home for us further in the mountains."

"Yes. His name is Ghostlight," Ghostwind said. "Before you can settle into the valley, you must know that there is a family of cats who already call this place home. They are the family of Ghostlight, the white cat who came to you in your dreams. If you are willing to live beside them peacefully, you can have this valley as your new home."

Souldapple looked around at Goose, Sky, and the other cats who had gathered together as the Tribe approached. "You're the family of the white cat?"

"Yes," Goose replied.

"Then I ask for your permission to live in your valley," Souldapple bowed her head.

"You have our permission," Goose replied. "My family has talked, and we would like to join your Tribe. If that is okay with you. Some of us are getting on in our seasons, but we will help in whatever way we can."

"We've traveled for many moons, and we've lost many of our Tribe on the journey. We would be happy to have you join our Tribe. We will choose Tribe names for you, if you do not mind," Souldapple said. "We will try to keep them close to the names you have now."

Creamheart lumbered forward, her pregnant belly making movement cumbersome. "I come from a Clan a few days travel from here. I left my Clan, and I wish to join your Tribe. If you will have me. My name is Creamheart, and I wish to keep that name in memory of the Clan I left behind."

"Creamheart. The names suits you," Souldapple said. "You may join our Tribe and remain as Creamheart, to honor the memory of your past life."

"Thank you, Souldapple," Creamheart purred.

"This has been really formal and all, but isn't it time to quit the formalities?" Tigerflame asked, looking at Souldapple. "I'm Tigerflame. I hope you like the valley. It's the perfect place to live."

Ghostwind thought the she-cat was going to hiss at Tigerflame's disrespectful tone, but the she-cat surprised him by twitched her whiskers and laughing.

"I think I know why they call you Tigerflame," she said. "My Tribe and I couldn't be more happy to finally have found a place to live."

Ashflower jumped down from the boulder. "My name is Ashflower." She nodded. "I think it's time you gave your Tribe a new name, don't you think? You can't remain nameless now that you have a home again."

"You're right," Souldapple said, looking around. "This valley is so green, despite the season. Hmm. What about the Tribe of Green Valley?"

Moonmist purred. "I think it's perfect!"

"Yes!" Souldapple's Tribemates shouted in agreement.

"That settles it," Souldapple purred. She padded forward and jumped up onto the boulder where Ghostwind sat. He respectfully jumped down to allow her to speak. "From this day forward, we are the Tribe of Green Valley! We thank you, Ghostwind and friends, for coming here to help us, but your help is no longer needed. I believe you were sent here by the white cat you call Ghostlight, and I thank Ghostlight for bringing you to us. Without him, we would have continued to fight the Tribe of Rushing Water for endless moons."

"You mean you don't need our help setting up a camp? Or finding the best spots to hunt for prey?" Tigerflame asked.

"No. We can do that all ourselves," Souldapple said. "We are not mouse-brains!"

Ghostwind looked up at Souldapple. "You should know about the Mooneyes, though. Ghostlight's family members can show you the way. It is a magical place."

"Mooneyes," Souldapple said. "It sounds like the perfect place for me to speak with our ancestors. When I am ready, Ghostlight's family can show me the way there. Right now, I want my Tribe to spread out and explore the valley. Find the best place to make camp. Tomorrow we will begin marking our new territory!"

The Tribe cats cheered and began to disperse.

"Good-bye, Ghostwind," Goose said. "We're going to go show these cats the best places in the valley! Thanks for everything you've done for us."

"Yes, thank you again," Banjo said. She touched her nose to Ghostwind's ear. "I suppose we might not see you again. So this is good-bye. We are forever in your debt."

"Don't worry about it," Ghostwind said. "I was just doing what my destiny asked me to."

He watched Goose, Banjo, and the rest of their family disappear, followed by some of the Tribe cats. It was good that Ghostlight's family members had decided to join the Tribe. Perhaps the kits would find mates in the Tribe cats, and Ghostlight's family would expand and flourish into generations in the Tribe of Green Valley.

"Ghostwind," Souldapple said. "I must speak with you privately."

Ghostwind turned to see the Tribe healer standing beside him. He hadn't even heard her walk up beside him. "Okay." He wasn't sure what this was about, but he followed the healer away from his friends.

Souldapple sat down and wrapped her tail around her paws. "The white cat told me something that I was supposed to tell his namesake. You say his name was Ghostlight, and your name is Ghostwind. I assume you are the one he was talking about."

Ghostwind felt his pelt crawl under his fur. What could Ghostlight possibly want Souldapple to tell him that Ghostlight couldn't tell him himself?

"Yes. I was named after Ghostlight," Ghostwind muttered.

"_A new illness will spread, one you will dread. Only one cure, one most pure. A plant found in the green of the mountains will be your only hope_," Souldapple said.

Her words sent a shiver down Ghostwind's spine. Another prophecy? How could this be? He turned away from the she-cat to stare at a rock lodged in the dirt. The first prophecy hadn't even been fulfilled fully, and Ghostlight was sending him another one? Now he had to look forward to a war and a sickness that had only one cure?

"Ghostwind, do you understand what it means?" Souldapple whispered.

"I think I have the general idea," Ghostwind sighed. "A sickness is going to come to the Clans around the lake, and it can only be cured by one thing. And that thing is found somewhere in the mountains."

"Not just anywhere in the mountains. In the _green_ of the mountain. I believe you'll be returning to this valley in the future," Souldapple said.

Ghostwind finally turned to look at her. Her eyes were an unusual, light green. "You really think it's that simple?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "We'll just have to see, won't we? I bid you good luck, Ghostwind. You and your friends look like you've been through a lot."

He nodded glumly.

"You and your friends can leave whenever you wish. We will not hold you here any longer than you wish to stay," the she-cat said. She touched his shoulder with her tail. "Keep your chin up, Ghostwind. Not everything is darkness and evil."

Ghostwind looked up at the afternoon sky. She was right. If anything proved that, it was LightClan. The members of LightClan had once been beyond evil, their hearts full of darkness. But many of them, given the chance, had turned from that darkness and embrassed the small spark of light and goodness in their hearts.

_I wonder what Sly would have been like, if he'd been given the chance to embrass the light instead of the dark. Would he have chosen differently?_

"Ghostwind! Can we go yet, or not?" Tigerflame shouting, breaking him out of his thoughts.

Ghostwind smirked as Souldapple laughed.

"That's Tigerflame for you," Ghostwind said to the Tribe's healer.

"Well, are you going to answer me?" Tigerflame called.

"Good-bye, Souldapple. It was a pleasure meeting you," Ghostwind said before he shouted, "Okay, Tigerflame!" He ran over and tackled the tom in the grass. "We can go when you can keep your mouth shut!"

Swanpool snorted. "Like that'll ever happen."

Tigerflame bristled. "I can keep my mouth shut!"

"No, you can't," Swanpool retorted.

"Yes, I can!" Tigerflame hissed.

"Nope. Not possible!"

"Hey, mouse-brains! You coming home with us, or are you staying here with the Tribe?" Ashflower called over her shoulder as she and the others trotted away.

"Hey!" Swanpool shouted.

"Wait for us!" Tigerflame yelped, racing to catch up.

"That's what I thought," Ashflower purred.

Ghostwind looked back one last time at the lush, green valley. The thought of the prophecy Souldapple had just given him made his heart sink. She was right; he would be back in this valley again someday in the future. But only time would tell when.

"Come on, slowpoke!" Ashflower said loudly.

Ghostwind turned around and padded after his friends, heading for home at last.

* * *

**End of Chapter Twenty-Three**


	26. Chapter 24

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Warriors, but I do own the characters of this story.

* * *

**Chapter 24**

* * *

Cottonclaw and Sootpelt ducked into the entrance tunnel of ThunderClan's camp. They'd returned safely, without any trouble, from Twolegplace. The other cats had all gone off to their respective Clans. He was glad to be home with his Clanmates. It had felt so strange being in Twolegplace with cats from other Clans.

_I wonder if it feels that weird for Ghostwind and Ashflower, spending all this time with cats from other Clans_, Cottonclaw thought briefly before he was bombarded by happy, purring cats.

"That's so much catmint!" Lightdew said joyfully. "Rainfur and my kits will be well again in no time!"

"I can't believe how much catmint you found!" Skunkpelt meowed.

Meadowbreeze appeared in front of Cottonclaw as he padded toward the medicine cat. "You might want to drop that off in Maggotstripe's den and then head to the nursery."

He twisted his head. "Wha'?" he asked around the catmint in his mouth.

The she-cat rolled her eyes at him. "Why would you need to go to the nursery?"

Cottonclaw's eyes widened. Stormypelt! He rushed past Meadowbreeze, ducked into Maggotstripe's den, dropped his catmint in the corner, and rushed back out. Panting with excitement, he headed over to the nursery and peered inside.

"Cottonclaw is outside," he heard Summerflower say.

"Come in, Cottonclaw! Come meet your new siblings!" Rowanstar called.

Slowly, he slipped into the crowded nursery. Summerflower was near the front and to the side. Stormypelt was lying in the middle of the nursery. Rowanstar sat beside her head, Gingerheart behind him. Maggotstripe was sitting near Stormypelt's flank. And snuggling against his mother's belly were two, tiny kits.

Cottonclaw tiptoed forward and looked down at the little scraps of fur. The bigger one had a straight, gray pelt with no markings on it. The other, smaller kit had a light ginger pelt with a few tabby stripes, and a tail with darker ginger stripes. Cottonclaw licked each one on the head, making the two mewl in surprise.

"They're perfect," Cottonclaw told his parents.

"The gray one is a tom, and the ginger is a she-cat. The tom is Riverkit, and the she-cat is Mintkit," Stormypelt purred.

"Riverkit and Mintkit," Cottonclaw twitched his whiskers, trying out the new names. "The names are the best! I can't wait for Ghostwind and Ashflower to get home, so they can see them."

Stormypelt's eyes filled with worry. "They've been gone for so long. Do you think they're okay?"

Rowanstar bent down and touched his nose to her ear. "They're our kits, Stormypelt. How could they be anything but okay?"

"Cottonclaw! Cottonclaw!" a familiar, young voice called from outside. "Can I see the kits?"

Rowanstar looked up and turned to Cottonclaw. "Haven't you taught your apprentice to be quiet around the nursery?"

Cottonclaw purred. "She's a bundle of energy that isn't easily controlled. If she promises to be quiet, can she come in? She sounds like she's dying to see these kits."

The leader sighed. "Alright."

Sparrowpaw trotted in, her amber eyes bright with excitement. She cautiously came up to Cottonclaw's side and sat down beside him. Her eyes widened even more when she looked down at the kits.

"They're so cute!" she exclaimed.

Cottonclaw hit her ear with his tail, and she ducked.

"Sorry!" she whispered.

Stormypelt laughed. "It's okay, Sparrowpaw. The kits still can't hear yet. They'll be blind and deaf for a little while."

"Was I that small?" Sparrowpaw looked at Cottonclaw.

"At some point," Cottonclaw said. "Unless you were hatched from an egg. Then you'd have come out the same size you are now."

Sparrowpaw glared at him. "That's not true! Cats don't hatch from eggs!"

"Oh, darn. You're too smart to fall for my tricks," Cottonclaw said.

Sparrowpaw twitched her whiskers at him and turned back to the kits. "Do you think I'll be able to mentor one of these kits?"

"We'll see, Sparrowpaw. You're still a new apprentice. You've got a long way to go before you start thinking of mentoring kits," Rowanstar said.

"I learn fast!" Sparrowpaw said. "See?" She went into a perfect hunter's crouch. "I got that from Cottonclaw! He's got the best hunter's crouch!"

Rowanstar laughed. "That may be true, but it's better to be a good hunter than to just have the best hunter's crouch."

"Cottonclaw can turn invisible," Sparrowpaw said. "So he must be the best hunter, too!"

Cottonclaw laughed. "Maybe, if I actually used that ability all the time when I hunt. I don't want to be the best hunter, I just want to do my best for my Clan."

"Me too!" Sparrowpaw said. She turned to Maggotstripe. "Which is why I want to help you, Maggotstripe! You should see how much catmint Cottonclaw and Sootpelt brought back!"

Maggotstripe purred. "I'm sure they've brought back more than enough, but I'll go check anyway. Why don't you come with me, Sparrowpaw? I can show you how to give the cats the catmint."

"Okay!" Sparrowpaw said.

Cottonclaw watched his apprentice go off with the medicine cat. He turned back to his parents and his two, new siblings. "Were there any complications with the kitting?" he wondered.

"None," Rowanstar said. "After having you, Ghostwind, and Ashflower, your mother is a kitting professional now."

Stormypelt laughed. "I don't think so, Rowanstar."

"So was your mission successful?" Rowanstar asked, changing the subject.

"Yes. We brought back as much catmint as we could carry," Cottonclaw reported. "The other cats all showed up and brought back catmint for their Clans, as well."

Rowanstar nodded. "Good. I'm sure if the other leaders see how much catmint can be obtained from Twolegplace, they'll be more willing to use it again in a crisis like this one."

"I certainly hope we don't have another crisis like this!" Stormypelt said, curling around her newborn kits.

Rowanstar draped his tail over her shoulders. "Don't worry, dear. I don't think there will be. Not for a very, very long time."

Cottonclaw suddenly felt very tired. He'd been up early the past two days, and it seemed like he'd been going nonstop. He yawned, unable to stop himself.

Rowanstar and Stormypelt turned to look at him.

"Sweetie, you look so tired," Stormypelt said. "Are you feeling okay? You aren't getting whitecough, are you?"

"No, I'm just really tired from the last few days," Cottonclaw replied. "It's Sparrowpaw's day with Maggotstripe, so I think I'm going to go take a nice, long nap."

"I think that's a really good idea. Take as long as you need, Cottonclaw. You certainly deserve it," Rowanstar said. "You've been so helpful lately. Thank you."

Cottonclaw waved his tail sleepily at his parents, said good-bye to his new siblings, and headed off for a very well-deserved nap in the warriors' den.

* * *

There was a collective sigh of relief when Ghostwind and his companions reached the fields where they'd encountered the sheep. They'd lost count of how many days it had taken them to travel from the mountains to where they were now. Every minute that passed had seemed to melt by. They were no longer being chased, nor did they have Renegade or Creamheart to slow them down. The journey home seemed to fly by compared to their journey to SkyClan.

Ghostwind looked up at the stars above them. They'd found a spot to sleep for the night where the sheep couldn't get to them. He squinted upward. Was it just him, or did the stars look brighter tonight?

"It's not just you," Ashflower whispered beside him. She lifted her chin from her paws. "I think they look brighter, too. StarClan is welcoming us back. We're nearly home, Ghostwind." He noticed her pelt shone a pretty silver in the moonlight.

"I can't wait to get home," Ghostwind sighed.

"None of us can wait," Ashflower replied with a purr. "There's going to be a huge celebration around the lake when we all return."

Ghostwind flicked an ear and looked at Eaglefather and Swanpool. "Do you think the greencough has spread?"

Ashflower frowned. "Probably. But I'm sure it's been taken care of while we've been away. It isn't like our Clanmates can't handle themselves without us around. We might have special powers, but we can't fight every battle."

He nodded. "We should probably get to sleep."

Ashflower nodded. "Good-night, Ghostwind."

"Good-night, Ashflower," he purred before putting his head down to go to sleep.

* * *

In the middle of the night, Ghostwind was woken by the hooting of an owl flying overhead. Sleepily, he looked up to see the large night hunter flapping away. He glanced over at the others and noticed that Tigerflame and Moonmist were gone.

_They must have been having trouble sleeping_, he thought briefly before putting his head back down. _Probably went for a walk..._

* * *

Fernstripe looked at them with tears in her eyes. "I...I guess I'll be seeing you all later."

They'd reached LightClan's border. The sun was nearing its highest point in the sky when they'd finally reached the area of the lake.

Eaglefather was refusing to look at Fernstripe. He stared off into the distance, looking toward where RiverClan was located. Ghostwind sighed inwardly. The RiverClan tom was being ridiculous. Even if he resented not being able to be with Fernstripe, the least he could do was have the courtesy to say good-bye to her.

"Bye, Fernstripe!" Moonmist said happily. "I can't wait to see you at the next Gathering!"

Fernstripe smiled a little. "Yeah. I'm sure we'll all see each other at Gatherings."

The rest of them said their good-byes to Fernstripe, except Eaglefather.

"Aren't you going to say good-bye?" Swanpool prodded her brother.

"Bye, Fernstripe," Eaglefather said.

"Bye, Eaglefather," Fernstripe replied, looking disappointed. She waved her tail at them all and then disappeared onto LightClan's territory.

"Will you cheer up?" Swanpool asked Eaglefather. "We're nearly home!"

"That's why I'm so worried!" Eaglefather snapped. "Did you forget how sick our Clanmates were when we left?"

"No, I didn't. But that doesn't mean I can't be happy to be home!" Swanpool retorted. "Bye everyone! I'm going home!" Without another word, she flounced away.

Eaglefather sighed. "Good-bye, everybody. Swanpool, wait up!" He ran after his sister.

"I guess that leaves the rest of us to walk around the lake," Tigerflame grumbled. "I'm not risking going through RiverClan."

"You really think the whitecough hasn't been taken care of yet?" Russetfrost wondered.

"I bet it has!" Moonmist said.

"Let's go," Ghostwind interrupted. "The sooner, the better."

The six of them headed in the direction of the lake. Ghostwind couldn't believe how happy he was seeing the familiar waters of the lake. In the distance, he could see ThunderClan's forest. It would feel so nice to be back under those trees again.

"Well, here's where I leave," Moonmist said. "See you all later!" She flicked her tail and disappeared over a ridge.

"Do you want us to walk you to your border?" Ashflower asked Tigerflame and Russetfrost.

"No. I think we can remember the way," Russetfrost replied before Tigerflame could respond.

Ghostwind ditched the others and ran across the border into ThunderClan. He skidded across a few leaves and rolled across a patch of dry grass that crackled under him. He took a deep breath as Ashflower and Ravenheart joined him. The three laughed happily, their pelts full of twigs and bits of leaves now.

"We should clean up," Ashflower said. She shook herself and pulled the twigs from her fur. "We don't want to look like we've been traveling for moons when we get back!"

Ghostwind laughed and smoothed out his fur, making sure all the bits of leaves were gone. Ravenheart needed Ashflower's help getting a twig from the back of her neck. Once all three were presentable, they finally headed for camp.

* * *

"They're back!"

Cottonclaw looked up from the mouse he'd been eating to see Ghostwind, Ashflower, and Ravenheart stride into camp. Somehow, all three looked much wiser and older than they had been when they left. However, they also looked very, very happy to be home.

"Cottonclaw!" Ashflower came racing over. She tackled him. "How's the Clan been without us?"

Cottonclaw shoved her off. "I'd appreciate not being tackled. What will my apprentice think?"

Ashflower's eyes widened. He knew she had to be reading his mind.

"Yeah," Cottonclaw said. "Wait until you meet her."

Whiskerheart came trotting over, a wide grin splitting his face. "Ashflower! You're back!"

His sister lashed her tail. "No, I'm just a figment of your imagination!" She laughed at Whiskerheart's confused face. "I'm just joking!" She tackled him and rubbed her nose under his chin. "I'm so glad to see you!"

Nearby, Ghostwind was being attacked by Smudgewing.

"You're okay! I was so worried!" the white she-cat cried, licking his face again.

Ghostwind laughed. "It's nice to know someone cared. What's been going on while I was away?"

Other cats were crowding around him, their eyes bright. He saw Springfoot with Forestclaw and Skunkpelt, and Darkeye with Cloverpelt and their kits, and Sootpelt with Coldfur.

"It was horrible! RiverClan had a huge whitecough epidemic! They lost so many cats, including Featherstar," Smudgewing said.

"Wait, so Lionstorm..."

"Is now Lionstar," Smudgewing finished. "He chose Ashwhisker as his deputy!"

"Wow. That's...a big change," Ghostwind said.

Smudgewing's eyes sparkled. "The best part is that Stormypelt had her kits."

"What?" Ghostwind yelped. "Why didn't you say so in the first place?" He turned and dashed through the crowd of cheering cats to get to the nursery.

Stormypelt was sitting outside the nursery entrance. Two bundles of fur were wrestling in front of her. One was gray, the other ginger.

"Riverkit! Mintkit! Your brother and sister are here!" Stormypelt called.

The two kits turned, and Ghostwind immediately fell in love with them. They certainly looked like his siblings! The little tom was pure gray, with a darker gray nose and kitten-blue eyes. The tiny she-kit was all ginger with a dark ginger-striped tail. Her eyes were also kitten blue.

"You're Ghostwind and Ashflower?" the little she-kit gasped as Ashflower came padding up with Cottonclaw, Whiskerheart, and Meadowbreeze. Smudgewing was right behind them.

"Yes. Remember what I told you about them?" Cottonclaw smiled at the kits.

The gray tom kit leaped at Ghostwind. "You can see the future!" He turned to look at Ashflower. "And you can hear thoughts! What am I thinking right now?"

Ashflower grinned. "You're thinking Cottonclaw was telling you nothing but stories, Riverkit. Even though he already showed you what he can do."

Ghostwind laughed as Riverkit's eyes widened.

Mintkit giggled and walked up to Ghostwind. "So you really can see the future?" Her little tail wiggled. "Can you tell me...if I'm going to be a good warrior?"

Ghostwind draped his tail over the kit's shoulders. "Now, if I told you that, it would ruin the surprise! But I bet, if you're anything like our parents, you'll be the best warrior you can be!"

"Did you hear that, Riverkit?" Mintkit turned to her brother. "I'm going to be the best warrior I can be!"

Riverkit jumped up. "What about me? What about me?"

They were interrupted by a familiar voice Ghostwind felt he hadn't heard in forever.

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!"

Ghostwind turned to see Rowanstar sitting on Highledge, looking down at all of the cats who were milling around, waiting to speak with Ghostwind, Ashflower, and Ravenheart. His father's orange pelt was like fire in the sunlight that beamed down on him. Rowanstar's yellow eyes met his, and his father's lips pulled up into a large smile.

At that moment, Ghostwind realized just how lucky he really was. Not just any cat would be chosen to go off chasing prophecies, and he'd been one of the few who had. He turned to follow Ashflower, Cottonclaw, Smudgewing, Whiskerheart, his mother, and his new siblings closer to the Highledge. He looked around as he walked, seeing Silvermoon and Mistmeadow twining their tails together as they took a seat next to Stonepaw, Shimmerpaw, and their mentors, Pebbletail and Stormtail. Darkeye was scolding Ebonypaw for purposefully stepping on Tawnypaw's tail, while Cloverpelt tried to calm her mate down. This was the sort of thing he'd been missing while out looking for SkyClan.

The ginger tom sat down and looked up at his father as Rowanstar happily announced his, Ashflower's, and Ravenheart's return. Rowanstar told them everything that had happened since they'd left, from Granitetail being replaced by Thunderstripe as deputy to the whitecough that had raged through RiverClan and gone through the other Clans, ThunderClan included. He also told them of the death of Oakpelt by the paws of a badger.

Once Rowanstar had finished his stories, he invited Ghostwind, Ashflower, and Ravenheart up to the Highledge to tell everyone what they'd been through. When Ghostwind reached the ledge, he felt the sun on his pelt and the anxiousness of his Clanmates below. He had really missed his home.

_Enjoy the peace while you can, Ghostwind_, Firestar's voice whispered in his ear.

With a deep breath, Ghostwind launched into the long, sometimes-scary, sometimes-joyous story of their journey to SkyClan and the mountains...

**

* * *

The End**

* * *

**Author's Notes: **What? The end? That was pretty anti-climatic, wasn't it?

Well, after everything Ghostwind and the others have been through, I thought they deserved a bit of relaxation. Plus, with what I see in the future for our lovely group of travelers (who have finally returned home) they certainly need some unexciting events in their lives. It's going to get pretty crazy in the next book! Oh, and a quick announcement!

The title for book 6 has been changed! I decided I didn't like End of Adventure, so (with the help of my Dad, of all people) the new book title is:

**Warriors A New Age 6:** _Tragedies of War_

It sounds much more thrilling than End of Adventure, doesn't it? So keep an eye out for it! The prologue is finished already, but I want to get at least the first 2 chapters written before I actually post it up!


End file.
